ShadowDancer and SunSinger
by Rocky Oberlin
Summary: Mia and Sage have seperate curses that only love can break. Based on the character written by Mercedes Lackey for her stories and songs.
1. Chapter 1

Like I said, this is influenced by Mercedes Lackey's song about   
Sunsinger and Shadowdancer. I just changed it a little. So   
obviously I don't own any one from the song of Ronin Warriors. Enjoy.  
  
ShadowDancer and SunSinger  
Rocky Oberlin  
  
Night was falling and Mia wanted to go out into the forest without having her brother or friends hanging over her. She smiled sadly over the thought of her brother's friends. Why they had to work for Tulpa saddened her, but she was grateful for them on keeping her away from him.  
"Cale, I'm going out," Mia called to her brother.  
"Be careful. I don't want Master Tulpa to know about you. He already has me working for him, but if he got a ShadowDancer, then the war will be over before it begins."  
"I'll be careful." Mia grabbed her cloak and hurried out the door. It was too bad that she couldn't see the sunlight. Anubis would tell her about how the sunlight would brighten the leaves on the trees and how blue the sky was. All she could see was the stars at night in the black nothingness that surrounded them. The trees and animals would sleep and very few would see the graceful dance that she performed nightly. Her audience was the owls and wolves.  
Mia had to smile at that last thought. The wolves would watch her for her brother while he attended to his "Master". All four of them chaffed at being ruled by him. But they had needed his help to even be able to exist. The Nether Realm had been dying and then Tulpa came. It was like he had fixed the Realm and her brother and his friends had to pledge their fealty to him. Mia had her doubts, but she kept them to herself.  
Mia crossed the barrier from the Nether Realm to the Mortal Realm to see the end of day. She winced at the light and hid in the dark embrace of the trees. She had timed it badly and came too early. "Damn curse," she swore. She was picking up Seckmet's vocabulary; Cale would not be pleased.  
As the light faded from the sky, Mia started to wander around the forest. She like coming to this forest, sometimes she could see the marks of what happened during the day. She especially liked going down by the lake. The breeze off it was always a good partner to dance with as she wrapped the shadows to her fancy.  
It wasn't quite dark when she came to the lake, but there was something different today then from any other day. Mia didn't realize it, but as she moved closer to the lake she heard a song. It was a song of sunlight and bright things. The music seemed to capture her and bring her closer to the lake even though she knew that she should leave. AS she approached the source of the music the light fled from the sky and twilight stretch out its fingers, heralding the coming of night.  
On the banks of the lake was a man about her age. He was blond and fair, but it was dark enough to know that he was kissed by the sunlight. She stayed hidden in the shadows and listened, entranced, to his ending song. The end of twilight brought the collapse of the fair man. Mia rushed out to see what had made him fall, but there was no evidence of dark magic or injury. Mia was worried, but relieved that he still breathed.  
"Sage!"  
Mia's head flew up. Someone was coming.  
"Sage!"  
"Where are you Sage SunSinger?"  
Correction, several someones.  
Mia stood up ready to fly, but she was stopped by something wet and warm. She turned her head to see an auburn haired man blocking her retreat.  
"Who are you?" he asked quietly.  
Mia tried to back away from him, but the other three callers came to the bank and hemmed her in.  
"Hey, Cye, who's that?" asked a large ash hair colored man.  
"I don't know. When I came to the surface she was kneeling next to Sage. I never have seen her before."  
"We won't hurt you, miss. Please, where did you come from?" asked the blue haired man.  
Mia shook her head and tried to get away. The last person of the group watched her with blue tiger-eyes. She looked back at him with a pleading look, hoping that he would let her go.  
"She's a ShadowDancer," he said quietly. The others looked at him questioningly then at Mia sharply.  
"A ShadowDancer?" asked the man called Cye.  
"AS in has the ability to control the shadows around her?" asked the blue haired man.  
The tiger eyed man nodded his head. "Then she must have done something to Sage," said the large boy. "He usually leave to get back to the house before twilight."  
Mia shook her head in fright and tried to escape the gathering men around her and the prone Sage. The large man kept coming closer to her and she began to really fear for herself. Quickly conjuring the shadows, she hid in them as she ran from the group back into the dark forest.  
"Nice going, Kento, you scared her away," said the blue haired man.  
"She seemed frightened to begin with, Rowen," said Cye. "Ryo, how did you know she was a ShadowDancer?"  
"Because of the legends that other FireDancers told me when I was young. ShadowDancers would join FireDancers once in a while to dance in the night. But when Tulpa came, he cursed the ShadowDancers to eternal darkness. They couldn't come too near light or they would be destroyed."  
"So she must work for Tulpa," Kento said. "Tulpa fears us, but really fears Sage because he's a SunSinger."  
Ryo shook his head. "No ShadowDancer would willing work for Tulpa. They fear and hate him."  
Rowen and Cye picked up the dead like Sage and started to carry him to their house. Kento fell in behind the trio, but Ryo stayed behind next to the lake. Such a body of water made him nervous, but having Cye WaterDancer around helped relieve the stress a little. He tried to pierce the falling darkness to see if the ShadowDancer was still hiding in the forest. His fire-blessed eyes didn't see the strange woman that looked at him with such a pleading look on her face. Did she really work for Tulpa, or was she an innocent in the whole matter?  
  
As the morning hastened to cover the world with its light, Mia fled back to the Gate. All night the light colored man haunted her. His friends had called him Sage. But what would they call me?  
Mia shook her head and crossed the Gate back to the murky Netherworld. Cale was waiting for her on the other side. He smiled at his sister warmly and asked how her night had gone. She smiled back and told him of the creatures that she had seen and what she had wrapped the shadows into. His other friends came one by one to listen to the woman's tale of the real world and tried not to think of how they would destroy such peace for a heartless dictator they had unwittingly given their loyalty to. They were able to enjoy the peace of the Mortal Realm through the innocent Mia.  
  
Sage woke from his coma-like slumber to see Rowen dropping off next to his bed. "Been there the whole night?" he asked quietly.  
Rowen raised his head tiredly and yawned, "Yes."  
"Why?"  
"We found a ShadowDancer next to you last night after you collapsed. Ryo didn't think she would do anything to you, but we didn't want to take chances. Just because his kind and hers got along well before doesn't mean that she's a friend now."  
"And how did Ryo take this bit of logic from you?" asked Sage with a slight smile.  
"He narrowed his eyes and told us that we could loose as much sleep as we want, he was going to bed. The creep slept the whole night without relieving us."  
"Because the ShadowDancer wouldn't do anything to Sage, oh mighty HeavenSinger. I told you that before," said Ryo as he walked into Sage's room.  
"I still don't trust her," repeated Rowen stubbornly. "How do we know that she wouldn't say something to Tulpa and then where would we be? One less SunSinger and possibly even us."  
"He kind of does have a point, Ryo," said Sage. "We don't know what this ShadowDancer would do."  
Ryo growled and threw up his hands. "Fine, do as you please. I can't stop you. Just remember, my people knew the ShadowDancers long before we even started to come in contact with you. We know our allies." Ryo turned and stalked out of the room.  
Sage and Rowen glanced at each other. "Think we made him mad?" asked Rowen.  
"I would say yes, my friend." The sound of Kento badgering Ryo about the lost sleep last night brought a sharp yelp from the EarthSinger and a quiet admonish from the WaterDancer. Ryo growled something to the pair and the slam of the back door announced to the whole house that the FireDancer had stormed out. "I would definitely say the we made him mad." 


	2. Chapter 2

ShadowDancer and SunSinger  
Chapter 2  
Rocky Oberlin  
  
Disclaimer: I'm not Mercedes Lackey or whomever owns the Ronin Warriors. I have enough trouble.  
  
Anubis wasn't happy. He was far from happy he was downright pissed. His "Master" wanted him to find a ShadowDancer. "Yeah, right. Find one in the middle of the day. You're the one who cursed them to the darkness and you want me to find a ShadowDancer at high noon."  
Anubis stalked through the forest by a lake Mia liked to dance by. May be he should suggest that she goes some place else for a while until Tulpa can't sense the power she releases anymore. Anubis made a mental note to talk to Cale and Mia when he came back from his doomed mission.  
He sighed as he thought of his "little sister". She had been so heartbroken when she found she couldn't go into the sunlight. She would practically corner Seckmet, Dais, and him to ask questions about the daytime life. He wished that he could help the Dancer see what she was missing just once, but then Tulpa would know who she was and where she was. No, it was better if they let her come to the Mortal Realm during the night instead of risking her capture.  
A rustle of leaves from a nearby bush alerted Anubis to the presence of another person in the area. He went into a defensive crouch and his hand lowered to his dagger. May be he should have brought his kusari gama, at least that way he would have a fighting chance.  
  
To say that Ryo was mad would be an understatement. He was about as mad as Anubis was, had he known the person. His anger was at his friends' stubborn lack of acceptance of a ShadowDancer. Who were they to talk; FireDancers were just as suspicious of them as they were of the ShadowDancer. Ryo was almost breaking rules just being with them.  
"But the Clan would be happy that at least one ShadowDancer survived the Curse. I wonder where she's hiding during the day?" Ryo mused.  
His feet went on autopilot as he thought about the fellow Dancer from the previous night. He could tell she was drawn to Sage. It might have been a bonding that the others couldn't see yet and Sage didn't know about for all his being in tune with himself. If Sage was the Mage of the group, then Ryo was the "priest". He could see things that Sage needed help even glimpsing.  
Ryo finished his thought as he started to recognize where he was headed. It was Cye's lake. After breakfast was made, Cye would be coming out here to see his finny friends and work his other magic. Ryo was going to miss the Healer's culinary magic, but he didn't want to have his meal soured by four accusing stares and questions. He'll just eat off the land as he did for years before joining the group.  
Ryo found a berry bush close to the clearing around the lake and started to pick the berries. The bushes rattled and parted enough for him to see a red headed man crouch down and reach for a dagger. Ryo wondered what he was doing so far out here and where he came from.  
The FireDancer called his power to him and stepped quietly out of the dense bushes to face the stranger. "I don't recall ever seeing you around here before."  
"That's because this is my first time to this area," answered back the stranger. Still his hand rested on the hilt of his dagger, but he hadn't pulled it out yet. "I was looking for something."  
Ryo turned cautious. What if he was looking for Sage? Ryo would have to get rid of the stranger and hope he didn't have back up. "What was it you were looking for?"  
The red haired man shook his head. "I don't think you would know what I'm looking for. They are all but gone."  
"Try me."  
"I was looking for a ShadowDancer."  
Ryo was stunned. A ShadowDancer. Then he was right and she didn't work for Tulpa. That would be a good sign if he could convince her to come back to the house with him. May be he could tell if there was a bond between her and Sage. "I haven't seen any around these parts for a long time," Ryo lied. "May be you were mistaken in your information."  
The man shook his head. "I know there was one here last night; she told me she was here."  
Ryo went back on the defensive. There was something about this man that puzzled Ryo. If he knew the ShadowDancer, then why was he looking here for her?  
"But if Tulpa thinks that I'm going to hand over Mia to him, he's got another thing coming. I'll just go back and lie to him about not sensing her. May be that will put him off the track," mused the man quietly. But Ryo had sharp ears and heard the whole thought.  
"You work for Tulpa," he growled.  
The stranger's head came up and he looked harder at the boy staring at him. "Yes, I 'work' for him. Wish I didn't though. Wish there was some way to get rid of him from the Mortal Realm and the Nether Realm. Then may be Cale and Mia can find a way to break the curse."  
This was getting to be too much for Ryo. First the man was "looking for the ShadowDancer", then he was going to tell his Master, Tulpa, that he didn't find her when he really did, and now he was saying that he wanted to get rid of Tulpa. This was getting stranger and stranger. "Why don't you want to give the ShadowDancer to Tulpa," he spat. "I'm sure that he would reward you handsomely."  
The man shook his head. "Because I don't want to give something that can help bring down a tyrant an edge over helpless people. The ShadowDancer can help stop Tulpa, but not if he is using her powers for his own gain."  
"And why do you care? You work for him."  
"I'm a slave to him. We all are. Promise me this, FireDancer, if you and yours fight us, please don't kill us. We are the only ones who are protecting Mia ShadowDancer right at this moment. If someone else took over that job, then either free us or kill us. I don't want to work for a tyrant and a madman."  
To Ryo's surprise the stranger turned and passed through a Gate that hadn't been there before. Then a thought struck him. How did that red haired man know he was a FireDancer? Ryo brought the whole conversation back to his mind and ran through it. The others were going to have to be told about this little conversation.  
  
Cale watched his sister as she absently worked in the kitchen. She was humming and almost dancing to a tune that only she could hear. It took him several tries to get Mia's attention and then it was only given to him. Cale wondered it Mia was coming down with something.  
Dais and Seckmet entered the kitchen and duly noted Mia's absent look. "She's got it bad," noted Dais.  
"Got what?" asked Cale.  
"Don't tell me that her own brother can't tell what's wrong with his little sister?" asked the one eyed warrior.  
"I can't tell either," said Seckmet. "What are you talking about?"  
Dais sighed. "She's in love."  
Cale had been drinking his tea at the time and when Dais revealed what was going on with his sister, well, the tea was all over Seckmet. "WHAT?"  
"Thanks for the bath," grumbled Seckmet as he wiped his face. "What do you mean that our little sister is in love?"  
"Exactly what he said," said Anubis entering the kitchen.  
"Where have you been?" asked Cale.  
"Getting yelled at by Tulpa for not finding the ShadowDancer from last night," he growled. "You should ask Mia not to go to that lake she likes for a while, that was how "Master" knew there was one around."  
"I don't know if it will do any good if what you and Dais say is true. She'll want to see the person who has captured her fancy."  
"Then one of us should go with her," said Seckmet.  
"Good idea," congratulated Anubis. "You just volunteered. I already had a run in with a FireDancer near the lake. There may be others."  
"Great. This is just more good news," grumbled Cale as Seckmet threw a dirty look at Anubis.  
"Do you think that it's the FireDancer that she likes?" asked Dais.  
Cale shook his head. "No. They were like cousins to us before the curse. It would have to someone else."  
"Wonderful."  
  
Mia ignored her older brothers' conversation and thought of the blond man from the lake. She didn't understand, but she was drawn to the stranger with an intensity that she didn't understand. She didn't know who he was, but she did know that she wanted to see him again. I wonder if I could find him this evening before the sun completely sets, she thought. It was a possibility.  
"Mia," called her brother, "we have to talk."  
Mia sat down at the table and noted the grim faces on her brother's face. "What is it?" she asked quietly.  
"Tulpa sensed you last night. He sent Anubis to find you this morning. You know how we try to protect you, but if Tulpa sends someone else out, they may find you. I think that you should go someplace else tonight."  
Mia was horrified. Not see the blond stranger? It was worth risking Tulpa finding her, but her brother was right. If there were a way to get rid of the curse, then she would have to stay free from the dark being. "As you wish, brother."  
Cale looked sadly at his little sister. "I know that you found someone, but you will have to wait on it. At least this way you can go back to find him later."  
"How did you know I found someone last night?" asked Mia quietly.  
Cale snorted with laughter while his friends tried not to laugh too loudly. "It was written all over your body movements. You nearly burned breakfast."  
"Oh." Mia blushed and got up from the table. "Was there anything else?"  
Her brother shook his head. "No, just the regular warnings. I'm sure I don't have to repeat them."  
"No, you don't." Mia left the kitchen to get some rest. For her, day was night and night was day. She wanted some rest before getting dinner ready for her brother and his friends. At least this kept her from Tulpa's prying eyes for a while longer.  
  
Sage listened to Ryo's account of his adventure in the morning. He looked at his fellow Singers and Dancer and saw the looks of skepticism and worry.  
"Are you just saying this to help that ShadowDancer?" asked Kento.  
"Kento, he may have a point. We may not know what is really going on, but we should listen to Ryo," urged Cye quietly.  
"For all we know, he was just trying to get our trust and then, bam, we are now prisoners of Tulpa," said Rowen.  
Ryo heaved a sigh and said, "You know my abilities. Do you really think that he would be able to fool me?"  
"It can happen, Ryo," said Sage. "But we will take it in perspective if we run across any of them."  
The other four could see the anger rising in the FireDancer's eyes. "Be careful when you do fight. I plan to keep my promise," he said as he rose from the table. Again he stalked out of the house and left his fellows to talk to themselves.  
"I think that may be we should keep him closer to the house," said Kento.  
"You may be right," said Rowen. "He seems to want to defend that ShadowDancer an awful lot. May be someone should watch him."  
"I'll go," offered Cye. "I think I know where he's going."  
"Careful Cye," said Kento. "You know how the forests near the volcano affect you."  
"Don't worry so much Kento," said Cye. "Ryo took me through them once just like I got him to come near my lake. I should be fine."  
"I agree with Kento," said Sage. "I'm going out again. I'll see you later and, hopefully, with Ryo."  
"May be one of us should go with you," said Rowen.  
Sage shook his head. "I should be fine. I'll see you guys later." He left the same way Ryo and Cye did, but with less slamming of the door and hurrying. He strolled down to the lake he had been the night before when twilight had caught him far from home. Birds were singing in the trees and animals silently watched him as they fed. Sage sat down next to the lake and accompanied the birds in their songs. The wildlife near the lake seemed to still as they listened to the SunSinger weave his power unconsciously.  
It was growing late when he realized that it was getting close to dark. He cursed the fates that lead him to the nightly coma he had to endure because of the Dynasty leader. His family could only take care of one SunSinger and he wasn't it so he left to try to survive on his own. It was a good thing he came across Rowen, Cye, and Kento. They didn't have the problems he did, but were willing to help when night fell. Well, if he was going to avoid having the same trouble as last night, then he had better get back.  
Sage started his journey back to the house. On his way, he saw something in the shadows of the forest he was walking in. After checking to see how much time he had left, he started after the figure. The figure was fast, but he was faster. He caught up with the running figure and tackled it, thinking it was one of Tulpa's soldiers. He was surprised to see it was a woman with long auburn hair and green eyes. She looked up at him in fear and something else, but didn't say a word. Sage scrambled to get off the woman and apologized profusely.  
"I am so sorry, I didn't know who you were; I thought that you were someone from the Dynasty."  
The woman was going to say something, but another voice called and it wasn't one of Sage's friends. "Mia, where are you. Tulpa thinks that he senses you again, Mia ShadowDancer. You had better come back early."  
The woman, Mia, looked at Sage sadly. "I'm sorry," she said and fled from the stunned man. She ran up to a man with blue hair that hugged her and looked at Sage strangely. It looked like he was seeing if the SunSinger had done something to the ShadowDancer and threatened that he would find a way to make him pay if Sage had harmed the woman. Then they both disappeared into the shadows of the forest.  
It was close to nightfall when Ryo and Cye found Sage still staring at the spot where Mia had been. All he said was "I'm sorry" over and over. Ryo looked at Sage and saw a look he never seen before in the SunSinger's eyes. He proudly turned to Cye and said, "I told you so." Then they caught the unconscious Sage as the sun set. 


	3. Chapter 3

ShadowDancer and SunSinger  
Chapter 3  
Rocky Oberlin  
  
Disclaimer: No I don't own Ronin Warriors or the idea of the   
SunSinger and ShadowDancer.  
  
Mia didn't go out that night. She stayed with her brother and his friends while they talked about how to overthrow a tyrant. She didn't say much; she just sat there listening to plans on how to defeat the monster that ruled the Nether Realm. It was around midnight when they retired to their beds, but Mia didn't leave. This was her day and she had nowhere to go.  
She sat watching the shadows as they told her stories of what the Nether Realm was like before Tulpa came. They wove what the realm was like before the ShadowDancers were cursed to the darkness that protected them. Creatures that hadn't been hunted and killed approached the woman, but retreated from the quiet sounds coming from her. That was how Dais found her in the murky dawn of the Nether Realm; no light graced the land. She just sat there thinking of the man of sunlight and the curse that kept her from approaching him. Dais saw the tear tracks that graced her face.  
"It's that bad, isn't it?" he asked his "little sister".  
"Hmmm?" Mia turned to see one of her brother's friends looking at her. "What did you say?"  
"I said 'It's that bad, isn't it?'" he repeated. "You love him, but you can't touch him."  
Mia's head lowered as she nodded it dejectedly. She did love the sunlit stranger, but she had to love him from afar. She couldn't come close to him unless she wished to die. "I suppose it is," she whispered.  
"I wish I could help you, little sister, but even I can't stop Tulpa with my friends. If there was some way of getting you the help, may be you could stop Tulpa, but we don't know where to find it. All we have is a vague memories from Cale and a lot of guesses."  
"I wish there was something I could do. Oh, Dais, I want to see the sunlight with out dying. I want to see the life that you three take for granted. Not even Cale knows what the Mortal Realm in the sunlight looks like. I want to see it. I want to live in it."  
"And you want to see that man again, hmmm, Mia ShadowDancer?" teased Dais. Mia blushed a rosy color, but a smile did grace her lips. "That's my Mia. This sad stranger wasn't the Mia that I teased when she was a little girl."  
Mia stuck out her tongue. "It wasn't fair either. There were four of you and just me. You always went on adventures while I had to hide." Mia grew serious again. "I wish I could have had the adventures you did."  
Dais shook his head. "No, little sister, you don't. Do you know what we did? We had to conquer others for Tulpa. We had to kill innocent people and enslave others. We have blood on our hands. At least you were spared what we had to do. And don't doubt that we wouldn't do it again because we would, to keep you safe."  
Dais escorted his friend's little sister back to her brother and waited for her to make breakfast for them. It was a tradition for them and Dais took comfort that she did this for them after what he had told her. After she had eaten her supper, Mia left to sleep and Dais told the others what she had told him. Anubis shook his head and Seckmet looked saddened. Cale pounded his fist on the table and cursed Tulpa for making his sister miserable. If only they could figure out what he had been told so long ago.  
  
Sage woke with "I'm sorry" on his lips. Cye and Ryo were sitting near him when he woke. Cye's face had a sad smile on it, but Ryo looked like a cat that ate the canary and was given cream to boot. Sage didn't like that smug smile that twitched at his lips, but couldn't think on why he was smiling so.  
"Why are you so smug?" growled the SunSinger.  
"He's been like that all night. Rowen and Kento threatened to beat the answer out of him, but he countered with a threat of his own. I, personally, don't like the idea of the stove burning breakfast, so I sided with him."  
"Rowen said something about Dancers always sticking together," added Ryo. "But Cye has the right idea. I can make meals miserable if I really wanted."  
"That's nice, now about my question? Why are you so smug?" asked Sage.  
"Oh, something I thought was confirmed last night when Cye and I found you." At Sage's questioning look Ryo continued, "No, I'm not going to tell you. It's enough that Cye knows, but he can keep his mouth shut. You have to figure this one out on your own."  
"So says the Priest of our outfit. I agree with him on this one too, Sage. You do have to figure out you're feeling about the ShadowDancer."  
Sage growled as he got out of bed. The Healer and the Priest weren't going to help him on this one and the other two didn't know what was going on. They did know that Ryo was defending the ShadowDancer for some reason and Cye was slowly agreeing with the FireDancer. Things were going to be rocky around this place for a while until people started to talk.  
"I would tell you about what I knew of the ShadowDancers," said Ryo. "But some people seem to not want to listen."  
Sage shook his head while the two Dancers left his room. Why did it seem like Ryo was reading his mind again?  
"Because I saw what you were thinking written all over your face," called the retreating FireDancer.  
Sage pulled a face at the parting shot given by Ryo. Sometimes it seemed that nothing was sacred to the FireDancer and he would comment about everything. In a way he was just like Kento, but there were times when he would keep his mouth shut. Kento always was running off at the mouth at the worst times. Sage looked himself over in the mirror before leaving his room. Time to face the new day.  
"Why don't the two of you just hook up since you agree with each other so much?" asked Kento with a biting tone.  
"Kento, I don't think that was necessary," cautioned Rowen.   
Sage walked down in time to see fury on both Dancers' faces and a look of worry on Rowen's. Kento had a look of contempt and opened his mouth to let more idiotic phrases out, but Sage beat him. "I don't think that that was called for, Kento. Besides, they may know something that the rest of us don't have inkling about. You know that Ryo sees thing even I couldn't and Cye can figure out what others are feeling before they do."  
"Besides," hissed Ryo. "I don't swing that way. Be careful, EarthSinger. I might leave for good."  
"Is that a threat or a promise?" snapped back Kento.  
"Cool off both of you," yelled Cye. "This is getting us nowhere. We have to know about the ShadowDancers and Ryo is the only one who knows about them, Kento. Ryo, you know Kento and his runaway mouth. Cut him some slack and don't take it to heart."  
Ryo stood down, but still glared at Kento. Rowen hovered near the large EarthSinger, but he wasn't sure if he could have done anything to stop the larger Singer from doing any damage. Finally he snorted and sat down heavily in his chair with his arms crossed. "Fine."  
Sage looked at his equal in almost everything and asked, "Alright, what do you know about the ShadowDancers?"  
Ryo looked at Rowen and said, "Only a little more then the HeavenSingers. The ShadowDancers were friends with the FireDancer clans for as long as there were the Singers and Dancers. Once in a while a HeavenSinger would come to ask about us and would stay to see the dances that the two clans would hold."  
"I know what was written down, but everyone of the people who wrote what they saw said there was more to both of the clans then what was told," protested Rowen. "Your people were very secretive."  
"We had good reason," answered Ryo. "People needed fire to survive, but they also feared it. Look how you all responded to me when I first came around. Kento nearly had me buried in the ground and Sage had his sword near my neck when I told you my name."  
"And we apologized for it after you told us that you weren't here to do anything," said Sage.  
"Yeah, but that was my first impression of you. I could have blamed you for the loss of my clan just as easily as you took me for an enemy working for Tulpa," returned Ryo.  
"Can we talk about this later?" asked Cye. "I want to hear what you know of the ShadowDancers."  
Ryo nodded and returned to the subject at hand. "Before the ShadowDancers were cursed by Tulpa, they moved between the Nether Realm and the Mortal Realm. They were almost like gypsies in their wandering, but there were a few that stayed in one Realm or the other. When Tulpa cursed the ShadowDancers, the ones caught in the sunlight died quickly. Others were rushed to hidden places to escape the sun. Then we started to get refugees from the Nether Realm. They told of how Tulpa would kill entire clans from the oldest grandfather down to the newest baby. Then the stream stopped. The FireDancer Elders figured that any of the ShadowDancers still there were killed or captured. That left the ones left here in the Mortal Realm. They started to leave the areas we were in and spread out to different regions. They told the Elders that it was best if they did this in case Tulpa decided to try for them here in the Mortal Realm. The more spread out they were, the more trouble it would be fore Tulpa to find and kill them. It also protected us from the same fate as the ShadowDancers. A FireDancer may not be light, but we come close and have close to the same qualities that SunSingers have to be a problem to Tulpa."  
"So if something happens to Sage, then it is possible for you to stop Tulpa?" asked Rowen.  
Ryo shrugged. "May be. It may be no more then imprisoning him again. I think the only way for Tulpa to be destroyed completely is for opposites to work together in ridding the Realms of him." Ryo paused and thought over his last comment. "At least that was what I was taught as a child before my clan was killed."  
"And what opposites would that be?" asked Kento. "You and Cye?"  
Ryo shook his head. "Wrong elements. Didn't your clan tell you about Tulpa?"  
Rowen laughed. "They might have, but Kento probably wasn't listening."  
Kento scowled at his fellow Singer and swatted him up side the head. Rowen almost fell out of his chair from the force of the swat and threw the other a dirty look.  
"Knock it off you guys," said Sage. "What elements did your Elder tell you, Ryo?"  
"Sun and Shadow."  
"But that would be Sage and that ShadowDancer," said Cye.  
"That's right," said Rowen, "but how would either one of them be able to do it if they can't be in each other's elements?"  
"Do it at twilight," answered Ryo and Sage together. Sage continued, "I ran into the ShadowDancer last night when I was coming home from the lake. I heard something and went to see what it was. I thought that she was a soldier from Tulpa and I, uuhh, tackled her." He threw a dirty look at Ryo who snickered. "When I saw who it was I apologized and got off her. She didn't get to say anything because she was called away by a man with blue hair. Then they disappeared."  
"That was when we found you apologizing to thin air before nightfall," finished Cye.  
"Did you get her name?" asked Rowen.  
"Yeah. The blue haired guy called her Mia ShadowDancer." 


	4. Chapter 4

ShadowDancer and SunSinger  
Chapter 4  
Rocky Oberlin  
  
Disclaimer: Nope. Don't own the Ronin Warriors or the idea of ShadowDancer and SunSinger.  
  
Sage was disappointed when the death-like rest took him that night. The ShadowDancer hadn't come by the lake or the forest in the twilight of the day and he wanted another look at her before entering his fearful coma. Ryo promised to be on the look out for the dark haired Dancer as he watched over his friend. Rowen muttered something to the same effect, but was more interested in the songs the stars were singing in the night sky. Cye shook his head and muttered about how it would take a miracle for Rowen to notice anything when he was watching the heavens. Kento just grumbled and stalked off to bed like a bear going into hibernation.  
Dais watched the proceedings with interest from his hidden place. So, that was the SunSinger that his little sister loved. And these were the one who protected him. It looked like the SunSinger Clans were getting braver to join with other Singers and Dancers, especially the FireDancer Clan. The only ones who ever came near the FireDancers were the ShadowDancers and the occasional HeavenSinger. Now he was seeing five of the six Clans living together under one roof. Curiosity ate at Dais, but he had to leave, Master Tulpa was calling and he had to answer.  
  
"Where have you been?" hissed Seckmet quietly as they listened to Tulpa's orders for the night.  
"Watching the person that Mia saw," Dais said. Seckmet had to give the white haired warrior credit for saying it without moving his lips. "He's being protected by four other Clans."  
"May be they are learning to work together," muttered Anubis from in front of them.  
"Is there something you want to add to this discussion, Anubis?" asked Tulpa from his throne.  
"No, Master. There is nothing."  
"Then listen to what I am saying and maybe you will find the ShadowDancer next time I send you out."  
Anubis flinched at the rebuke and the thought of going out to look for Mia once again. Tulpa is getting worse as he fails to get the elusive Dancer. Anubis glanced over at his blue haired friend. They were going to have to talk after their mission tonight.  
"I have felt the presence of a SunSinger in the area the ShadowDancer has been in," continued Tulpa. "I want you to find him or the other powers that have been frequenting there. Bring them to me when you capture them. I want the Mortal Realm."  
"Yes, Master," the four warriors bowed and left the presence of their Master.  
"This isn't good," commented Anubis. "He knows about the SunSinger and may be the FireDancer."  
"He may not know about the others," offered Dais. "He just said whatever other powers are there."  
"Yes, but he will be going after the SunSinger the most after Mia," said Cale. He grimaced. "We may have to protect them as well."  
"How?" asked Seckmet.  
"By losing the battles to them," said Anubis. The look of distaste was painted across his face at the thought of throwing a battle to five youths that hadn't lived as long as any of them have, especially ones that had Clans to protect them in their early years of life.  
"Master Tulpa won't like it," commented Seckmet.  
"I know, but if we want 'Master' Tulpa rid of for good, then we will have to help those Singers and Dancers. They may have part of a key to destroying 'Master' Tulpa for good."  
The decision was made. They were going to force themselves to lose the fight with their enemies in hopes that they would be able to bring down a tyrant who held a Realm and a Clan under his iron fist. What they didn't know was there were two listeners to their plot.  
One was Mia seeing what her brother and his friends had to do that night. She was grateful that they were going to try to stop Tulpa from making a beautiful place like the Mortal Realm like the dark Nether Realm. Hope started to bud in her heart.  
The other listener wasn't so hopeful or forgiving. He had wanted a place at Tulpa's right hand and the four warriors from the Nether Realm had usurped his place. Now he had some evidence that they were plotting against the great Master Tulpa. If he could bring this news and the mysterious ShadowDancer that the Master wanted, then he would be placed above the four traitors. The second listener melted back into the shadows and bided his time to bring this to his Master.  
  
Rowen was listening to the song the heavens were singing when he heard a snap. Years of caution had taught him to be ready for anything. He pulled his dagger from his belt and looked in the direction the sound had come from. He laughed at himself as a deer started to break through the brush then start away at his chuckle.  
"Rowen, you are getting paranoid. Who would be out here at this time of night?" He started to turn back to the heavens when something else caught his eye. It was a woman dancing to no music that he heard and around her the shadows joined her. They wove something he couldn't see, but it was quite obvious that the heavens recognized her because it changed subtly to coincide with her dance.  
Rowen was spell bound as he watched the mysterious woman dance. He moved closer to see if it was the same one he found kneeling over Sage three nights ago. He was pretty sure it was when he caught the sight of long auburn hair that it was the same woman. She moved with grace and the shadows responded to her dance. Rowen was quite sure now that he knew the reason why Sage seemed to be struck by the ShadowDancer.  
  
Mia faintly heard the music from the heavens as she left the Gate to the clearing in the forest miles away from the lake. And also miles from the SunSinger she was missing. I wish that I could have seen him again, but Cale said that Tulpa was getting too close to me. Mia heaved a sigh and listened to the music before starting her Dance. Around her the shadows wove and spun as they joined in their Dancer's movements. The music changed more to match Mia's dance and she closed her eyes to enjoy what little freedom she had.  
So into her Dance, she didn't notice that she had a "captive" audience watching her through most of the night. When the music started to fade, Mia ended her Dance and looked up to the fading stars. They twinkled down to her, but it seemed like they were more focused on something else other then the Dance she created with their music. She looked in the direction of their focus and saw for the first time the blue haired young man that had come after the fallen SunSinger three nights ago.  
She didn't know how long he had been watching her, but she didn't want to be caught when he finally came to his senses. Mia ran from the boy and through the Gate that appeared at her calling and disappeared after she went through. Cale wasn't going to be happy if he found out someone had been watching her all evening.  
  
Rowen started out of his trance like state when the ShadowDancer stopped her dancing and ran from him. She must have seen me, he thought as he turned to go back home. The stars confirmed his suspicion by telling him she noticed how they were concentrating on him and not fully on her Dance.  
"So is she vain about her Dance?" he asked aloud.  
The stars seemed to giggle at the foolish question and answered negatively. She had danced for them and herself. There was a time when the ShadowDancers danced for any who came by just to see its beauty. The Dance was as much for them as for herself and the shadows that accompanied her. Rowen felt the sadness of the stars, as they couldn't join in the Dance much anymore due to the Curse laid on all ShadowDancers.  
"But what about the Light and the Earth? Don't they miss the ShadowDancers?"  
Ask your friends, was his response. They should know. They should hear what their elements have to say.  
Rowen resolved to do that after he had some sleep. It was time that Sage and Kento finally heard what their elements really had to say. "Ryo was right. I guess we didn't really have to worry about the ShadowDancer after all."  
"Thanks for the vote of confidence."  
Rowen spun around with his hand on his dagger once again for the second time in that night. Ryo stood six feet behind him, leaning on a tree. The FireDancer was just watching him with his arms crossed over his chest as the blue haired HeavenSinger tried to regain some of his composure back. "How long have you been standing there?  
Ryo shrugged. "Long enough to hear you say that I might be right for once." He straightened from the tree he was resting on and turned back to the house. "Come on. Cye was getting worried and Sage is going to wake up soon. You know he'll worry if you aren't around."  
"Yeah." Rowen started after his friend and smiled at a memory. "Remember when I was out for three nights and just collapsed into bed without saying anything?"  
Ryo grimaced. "Yes. Cye was worried you were sick and Sage was convinced you were under a curse too. Do you know how long it took me to convince him you were just overtaxing yourself those three nights?"  
"Hard?"  
"Yes," exploded Ryo. "You with your coma like sleep had Sage convinced that you were Cursed just like he was, only you couldn't be in the sunlight. It was a relief that Kento followed you that night and dragged you back before you could exhaust yourself."  
"I remember that. I was so mad at Kento from stopping me that I didn't speak to him for a week."  
"And all those pranks you pulled on him. Elders know how any of us survived that little war."  
The two reminisced over the past pranks pulled on each other and met up with Kento as he started his search for the Singer and Dancer. He gave Ryo a dirty look when Ryo threw a glance at him then started laughing.  
"What's got Mr. Straight Man in stitches this morning?" he asked the librarian of the group.  
"I was just telling him of some of the things I did to you when we were fighting after you brought me back from my Singing that one night."  
Kento scowled. "Oh, that. I still haven't forgotten some of what you did to me, Rowen. You will get yours one of these days."  
"We'll see, Kento. We'll see."  
Ryo looked at the two with amusement. When Kento puts his mind to it, he could come up with some really interesting pranks. This will bear watching in the future. If done right, then the events could be a good laugh in the future.  
  
Mia rushed through the Gate back to the Nether Realm. She was worried that the HeavenSinger was going to come after her any minute. Once she was through the Gate, reason stepped back in over the panic. How long had that HeavenSinger been there? Mia didn't know. And from the picture in her memory, it looked like he wasn't going to be doing anything to her when she had discovered him. All that panic over a HeavenSinger that didn't look like he was going do anything to her.  
Mia laughed at her foolishness and went back to the house she stayed in. He brothers were going to want breakfast soon, so she had better start it soon. From the sounds of last night's conversation, they were going to have a busy day ahead of them.  
Cale and his fellow warriors stumbled into the kitchen and dropped into different chairs around the table. Today they were going to the Mortal Realm to "fight". Cale winced at the thought of throwing a battle, but it had to be done. It Tulpa was to be defeated, then the SunSinger Mia loved so much would have to be protected. And that meant protecting the ones around the SunSinger. This was going to be hard.  
"You could always talk to them," said Mia quietly as she ate her meal. Four sets of eyes focused on the calm Dancer and four mouths opened to question her statement. "You could ask them for help," she continued. "You never know. They may listen."  
"How do you know about our problem?" asked Seckmet.  
"I was looking for you last night before I left. I accidentally heard you talking about Tulpa's plans and what you were going to do about them. May be if you came to an understanding with them then you could work together to be rid of Tulpa."  
The four looked at each other. "It's worth a try..." said Anubis.  
"Then who would we send to talk to them?" asked Seckmet.  
"Anubis should go. The FireDancer saw him after all," said Dais.  
"I agree with Dais," said Cale. "Could you get in touch with the FireDancer again?"  
Anubis shrugged. "May be. I'll have to see."  
"Then it's settled," Mia smiled. "You talk to the FireDancer and the SunSinger and may be we can get rid of Tulpa. Then I can finally go out without you guys worrying about me." Mia left the table on her high note while her brothers glanced at each other.  
"Did we just get suckered into this?" asked Seckmet to no one in particular.  
"I think that we did," answered Cale. "But at least she has something to look forward to."  
"And we have to concentrate on that," said Dais. "After all, she is our little sister." They all nodded at the statement and Anubis left to plan treason with their enemy. 


	5. Chapter 5

ShadowDancer and SunSinger  
Chapter 5  
Rocky Oberlin  
  
Disclaimer: Nope, don't own Ronin Warriors or the idea of the   
ShadowDancer and SunSinger.  
  
Cye and Kento were sitting by Cye's lake when a Gate opened and Anubis walked through. He was startled by who was there, but not as startled as the WaterDancer and EarthSinger. Kento immediately went on the defensive while Cye took a more relaxed fighter's stance.  
"What are you doing here?" growled Kento.  
"Plotting treason with my 'enemy'," said Anubis. He hadn't moved from the spot he stood in and hadn't reached for his dagger. Yet.  
"Cye may be you should go get Ryo. This may be the one he was talking about the other day," said Kento, never letting his eyes come off Anubis.  
Cye nodded and ran quickly through the woods towards the house. If this person was speaking the truth, then between Ryo and Sage, they should know the answers. He burst into the back door yelling for Ryo to come quick.  
"What's the matter Cye?" asked Ryo as he appeared in the kitchen.  
"A red haired guy stepped through a Gate by the lake. He said that he wanted to "plot treason with his enemy", but Kento doesn't believe him. They're still there right now."  
Sage walked in on the explanation and looked at Ryo. The FireDancer didn't wait for a response from his friend and exploded out the door with Cye and Sage close behind him. Rowen would have to wait on his explanation after he woke up.  
When the three got to the lake they found that Kento didn't use the patience the EarthSingers usually were famous for. He had decided that Anubis was a threat and attacked. The battle they found was Kento standing on one side of the battlefield breathing hard and on the other Anubis crouched down, waiting for the next attack. He didn't have to wait long. Kento called his powers of the Earth and sent an earthen wave toward the waiting man.  
Ryo knew that Anubis was an enemy, but he was also here to try to talk out something. Anubis seemed desperate about something and Ryo for one wanted to hear what he had to say. This was the second time that Anubis appeared before one of their number and this time it had to be on purpose. Ryo didn't think about the consequences as he ran towards the red haired man and pushed him out of the way of Kento's wave. The two young men fell into the lake with a splash and curse from Kento.  
"Ryo, what are you thinking?! He's the enemy! You shouldn't be saving him."  
Anubis surfaced first and glared at the ash haired young man. Ryo didn't surface at all. Cye and Sage came in time to see Ryo shove Anubis away from Kento's attack, but didn't see the FireDancer come up from his dive into the water. Cye didn't hesitate; he knew that there might be a problem with his friend and his element. Cye dived in as Sage helped the visiting warrior out of the water.  
"Kento, next time may be you should come get us and let Cye stay with someone who wants to talk with us," said Sage. "If anything Cye can retreat into the lake to protect himself until we arrive."  
"I don't trust him, Sage. He could be here looking for something. After all he did come through a Gate and that's how all the others come through."  
"If you had let me explain, EarthSinger, then you would know that I am here to stop my 'Master' from taking your Realm and trying to free mine."  
The conversation was put on hold as Cye dragged Ryo out of the lake. The FireDancer hadn't faired well when he hit the water. The lake didn't like the contact with a representative of its opposite element and had fought to protect itself. When Cye came in, he managed to stop the attack, but Ryo still seemed almost drowned and was unconscious. The WaterDancer pulled his friend from the depths of the water and onto the shore.  
Sage threw one more look at the EarthSinger and started to help the WaterDancer help their friend start to breath again. After a minute of blowing air into Ryo's mouth, the FireDancer started to cough up the water in his lungs. Cye rolled him on his side so Ryo could force out the water.  
"I don't think that I will be swimming anytime soon, Cye," coughed Ryo hoarsely.  
"No, I don't think you will be either," replied Cye. "Why did you do that?"  
"I knew what Kento was capable of; you guys don't. If I let Anubis take that hit, then we wouldn't know what he wanted." Ryo turned to look at Anubis. "You came here for a reason, didn't you?"  
The red haired warrior nodded. "I came to talk to you about stopping Tulpa once and for all." This grabbed the attention of Sage and Cye. Kento watched the warrior suspiciously, still not trusting him. "I came to ask for your help. Tulpa plans for us to attack your Realm soon to find the ShadowDancer and the SunSinger. We know where both are, but we are trying to stall Tulpa as much as we can. One of our number know the prophecy that will destroy Tulpa, but he can't remember the whole thing. There are only four of us in on the plan to protect the ShadowDancer. If you run across any others, they want to find her as much as Tulpa does. Protect your SunSinger with your lives; I think that he is as important as the ShadowDancer is." Anubis looked around. "I think I better leave. Gates can be conjured anywhere by anyone in the Nether Realm. Be careful when you go back to your home. I think that someone else is trying to gain approval with Tulpa." Anubis stepped back and went through a quickly conjured Gate.  
Sage looked at his three friends. "Well, we now know that we have some help in the Nether Realm. Now what?"  
"I still don't trust him," stated Kento. "He may be planning on handing us to Tulpa on a silver platter may be with that ShadowDancer or not. She could be in on the deal."  
Cye heaved a sigh and looked at his large friend. "Kento, we've heard this before. May be we should see what Rowen has to say if he's up now. May be he can help enlighten us."  
The quartet walked back to the house and their sleeping friend.  
  
There are opposites for everything. For the FireDancers there are the WaterDancers. For the EarthSingers there are the HeavenSingers. And for the SunSingers there are the ShadowDancers. Tulpa even has an opposite in the Mortal Realm. This one watched the meeting of the two parties quietly in the shadows. When it was finished, he turned and walked away. Things were progressing well without his interference at the moment.  
  
His friends at the Gate met Anubis.  
"Well, how did it go?" asked Dais.  
"I almost was killed by the EarthSinger and was saved by the FireDancer. The SunSinger and the WaterDancer seemed to listen to my explanation, but the EarthSinger is going to be a problem. He is more stubborn, but I think that the others will off set him. I think that we were watched, but I don't know who it was. I'm concerned that it was someone from Tulpa so I left."  
"The shadows said that we had another listening to us, but they didn't say who either last night," said Cale. "We will have to watch our backs more carefully. And Mia. I don't want her going out alone anymore. May be we should go out with her more now that we know that someone is privy to our plans."  
"So who will go tonight?" asked Seckmet.  
"I'll go," offered Dais. "Tulpa wants to talk to you tonight, Cale, and Anubis already went to the Mortal Realm. I can at least hide in the shadows or illusions to stay out of sight."  
"Then I'll go out tomorrow," said Seckmet. "This way we can take turns in case Tulpa get suspicious."  
The group of four split to go their different ways, Cale went to get ready to see Tulpa and Dais went to get some rest for the night. Anubis and Seckmet went to oversee the practice of the soldiers and to keep the other loyal warriors from getting more suspicious then they already were.  
At dusk Cale went answered Tulpa's summons and Dais met Mia at the Gate. She gave him a questioning look, but proceeded through the Gate to the darkening Mortal Realm.  
"Is there a reason that you're following me?" she asked as she walked through the forest.  
"We suspect that someone else heard our conversation other than you. Cale wants to be sure that you are safe."  
"Are you going to coming with me all the time?"  
"No. Seckmet plans on staying with you tomorrow, depending on what 'Master' Tulpa says."  
"Well," sighed Mia, "let's see who we will run into tonight."  
"Met someone last night?" asked Dais.  
Mia shrugged. "One of the SunSinger's friends was out last night. The stars seemed to like him a lot."  
"Did you tell Cale?"  
"No, I didn't get to see you that much to tell you. It didn't matter, I left before he did anything."  
"You should still be careful, Mia. This is why I'm here. What if he was working for Tulpa or someone else was. Tulpa would know about you within the hour and you would be his captive within the next."  
"The stars trusted him, Dais. They didn't even tell me about him until my dance ended. Besides, like I said, he's a friend of the SunSinger. Even if they don't trust me, they won't do anything to me."  
"Yet. The EarthSinger attacked Anubis. He is attack now ask questions later. There may be others like that."  
"Then I'll be careful. I promise."  
Dais sighed. "I guess that's as good as a promise as I'm going to get from you. Please, be careful Mia. I don't want to see you under the control of Tulpa and I don't know if we could even get you out."  
The pair passed out of the forest and into a clearing. No one was there that night and Mia danced with only the stars, the forest animals, and Dais watching her. 


	6. Chapter 6

ShadowDancer and SunSinger  
"Rocky" Oberlin  
Chapter 6  
  
Disclaimer: The Ronin Warriors still belong to whomever owns them   
and the idea for the ShadowDancer and SunSinger still belongs to   
Mercedes Lackey.  
  
Cale kneeled before his "Master". "You wanted me Master Tulpa?"  
Tulpa ignored his warrior for a few minutes to show his displeasure of being addressed by a minion. The spy from last night stood at his side to watch how the Shadow master would wiggle out of this little mess.  
"I was told that you and the other Warlords knew who the ShadowDancer was. That you know of the SunSinger and the possibility of him being with other Clans." Tulpa paused to finish his thought. "That you plan to lose to these Clans when you fight them."  
Cale wasn't like Dais; he couldn't control what the eye sees with illusions. But he knew how to spin a good lie; he had been doing it since he was brought into Tulpa's service.  
Cale bowed before his Master. "I only know what you have told me, Master. The only thing I know about the SunSingers is that you cursed them when you cursed the ShadowDancers. I think that any SunSinger who wanted to stay alive would probably join with someone to protect him or her during his or her cursed sleep. As for losing to the Clans, who has told you such tales? My fellow Warlords and I were making plans on how to defeat them. They will not bow before you anymore then the SunSinger Clans did. If they think they are winning then they will not fight as hard. That is when we will crush them to your glory." Lies mixed with truth are the most dangerous.  
"What of your sister being the ShadowDancer?"  
Cale feigned a look of surprise. "My _sister_? The ShadowDancer? What you were told HAD to be taken out of context. How could my sister be a ShadowDancer? You destroyed any that you found here and the others are lost on the Mortal Realm. At best she is a Shadow Master like I am."  
Tulpa growled. "Very well, you may leave. May be I should have Mia work for me as well. She could make a good warrior."  
Cale almost panicked. His sister a warrior for Tulpa? Not if he could help it. One moment in his presence and Mia would be found out. "I don't think that would be a good idea, Master. She isn't the type to fight. She is best left where she is. My sister would be more hindrance then help with the soldiers."  
Tulpa absently nodded. "Very well; you may leave." Cale turned to leave the throne room hurriedly. "I may have her reassigned later though," called Tulpa to Cale's retreating back.  
Cale turned once more and bowed before his "Master". "As you wish." Cale was almost to the throne room doors when he commanded the shadows to part for him. They complied and Cale saw the face of Mia's betrayer. It was the Lady Kayura. A once friend was now more interested in gaining power and privilege associated with Tulpa's favor. Cale smirked to himself. This was one time when her little scheme wouldn't work. After the tale Cale spun for his "Master" the Lady Kayura won't be believed too soon unless she had concrete proof of what was said.  
Cale walked through the doors and out of Tulpa's presence. He had to make more plans with his friends and figure out how to protect Mia a little better.  
  
Mia came back with Dais to see her brother with Anubis and Seckmet in a serious discussion. When the two made their presence know to the others, grim faces looked back at them.  
"Lady Kayura knows of our plans," stated Cale.  
"That's not good," said Dais. "She's bound to go to Tulpa with her tail."  
"She already has," said Anubis. "Cale was able to twist our conversation around so that she would be discredited, but now she will be even more dangerous then she was. We will have to watch what we say away from protected areas."  
"I also had to tell Tulpa that you were a Shadow Master, Mia. Kayura told him that you were the ShadowDancer. If he finds out the truth, then you will be killed."  
"And us along with her," muttered Seckmet.  
"He's right," said Mia. "You will be killed if Tulpa finds out that you lied to him."  
"So, how do we protect you?" asked Cale. "Tulpa is already talking about reassigning you someplace else and I had to talk him out of making you one of his warriors."  
Mia grimaced at that idea. "Thank you, no. I don't want to be a warrior or be reassigned. How much you want to bet being reassigned will be closer to Tulpa? Being one of his warriors will mean that I will have to be like Kayura. I don't have the attitude to be that nasty."  
"I can agree with you there," said Dais. "Kayura was nice at one time, but being one of Tulpa's warriors has corrupted her as bad as Dalla or the Sand Twins."  
"It almost makes me glad that Saberstrike left when he did. Can you imagine what he would be like if he had followed that path?" asked Anubis.  
"He would be a dark samurai," answered Seckmet. "All the knowledge of a true warrior and the all the devotion that comes with being a samurai. Scary." He gave a small shutter.  
"What are we going to do about Tulpa's new interest in me?" asked Mia.  
"We will have to hide you more. May be keep you out of his eye sight for a while and he will forget about you," offered Cale.  
"You know what he's like, big brother. He'll keep asking until someone talks or one of his minions finds me. It might be best if I disappear from the Nether Realm."  
"Where would you go?" asked Anubis.  
"If you don't know, then you won't be able to tell," said Mia. "I'll go tonight. That way Tulpa wont' be able to get me."  
None of her "brothers" like the idea, but they saw the merit. Mia had to stay hidden from Tulpa and her being out of his castle would keep her that much more secure. And if they knew, then they could be "convinced" to tell.  
  
Rowen walked out the door to think about what he had been told by the others after their meeting with the red haired man Anubis. Rowen wanted to see what the stars had to say about the matter and he wanted to listen to their music. Legend had it that HeavenSingers were once able to leave the confines of the earth to fly among the stars to listen to their music and hear their wisdom. If it was true then the art had been lost a long time ago. The same legend said that the FireDancers were able to walk across live volcanoes without being burned, but Rowen wasn't sure about that. If Ryo knew, then he wasn't telling anytime soon.  
The stars welcomed their Singer with a bright song and Rowen reveled in the music. After the first five minutes Rowen decided to pose his question and see what the bright spots in the sky had to say.  
"What are we to do with the ShadowDancer? Is she a danger to us?"  
The stars laughed at the second question and started their explanation. They sang of a time when all the Clans knew each other, of peaceful times enjoyed by all. Then came Tulpa. He cursed the ShadowDancers and the SunSingers for using their power against him. The FireDancer Clans retreated into the deep forests to hide from the dark warrior and the curses he created. The stars cried for the Dancers that would welcome their Singers and would Dance to their music. The stars sang of hope, of the prophecy that would lead to the downfall of Tulpa before the power of a ShadowDancer and a SunSinger working together.  
"So we need the help of the ShadowDancer to stop Tulpa. I guess we're need to follow Ryo's suggestion and find the ShadowDancer and ask her to help us."  
"Hey, someone admits that I had the right idea, what a concept! I should write this down on the calendar!"  
Rowen turned to see his FireDancer friend leaning against a tree, watching him.  
"How long have you been there?" asked Rowen.  
"Long enough to hear you say that may be you should follow my suggestion. The fire told me about the prophecy so I got the basement room ready because I think that the ShadowDancer will be coming."  
"Now all we have to do is keep Sage away from her," said Rowen. "A lot of good it would do us if she was destroyed before we could figure out how she will help us."  
Ryo shook his head. "I think that they should be together somehow. It will take both the powers of the ShadowDancer and SunSinger to defeat Tulpa. It would do no good if Sage was in a coma at the first touch of darkness and the ShadowDancer would be destroyed at the first glimpse of light. Something has to tie them together."  
They were going to continue the conversation when Rowen jerked his head up to the sound of the stars breaking out in a glorious song. He followed the path of their attention to see the ShadowDancer leaving a Gate from the Nether Realm.  
Ryo followed his HeavenSinger friend's gaze to see the same figure he was seeing. Ryo absently noticed that there was another person with the ShadowDancer, but he backed to the Gate and departed. The ShadowDancer stayed in front of them with no way home. Ryo stepped forward.  
"Uh, hi."  
She was just as Rowen remembered her from the first time they had seen her. She stood uncertainly and waited for an answer to her greeting. Rowen was surprised that Ryo stepped forward.  
"Hi. I'm Ryo FireDancer. This is my friend Rowen HeavenSinger. Why did you decided to come to us tonight?"  
Way to be blunt, Ryo, thought Rowen. The ShadowDancer didn't seem to mind and answered the questions.  
"I'm Mia ShadowDancer. I came to ask for your help. I know about the FireDancers and HeavenSingers, my brother told me about your Clans. I'm surprised that you have managed to stay away from Tulpa for so long. Cale said that he was cursing the FireDancer Clans for disappearing so well."  
"How does your brother know us so well?" asked Rowen.  
Mia sighed. "It's a long story, but if you want to hear it I would suggest that we go someplace else. If I stay here too long, then Tulpa or Kayura will get suspicious and follow the power signature here. I don't want to get caught so late in the game."  
"You can come home with us," said Rowen.  
Ryo gave him an approving look and smiled at the ShadowDancer. Finally they were going to get some answers, but will they be the right ones?  
  
At the house Ryo and Rowen sat their guest down at a table and Cye gave her a cup of tea. Kento sat down across from her and watched her with intent eyes. Mia seemed to ignore the glare and started her story.  
"Cale was a young boy when our Clan discovered that he was a Shadow Master. I had yet to come into my power so I watched as the Elders taught my brother everything they knew he would need. They taught him how to use the shadows up to a certain limit, how to recognize a ShadowDancer, and how to protect himself and the ShadowDancer from the light because of the curse. Then Tulpa came to our region. I was starting to show my power and Cale was the first to recognize it. When the village was attacked we were hid to keep the hope of a ShadowDancer alive. When the raid was done we were the only survivors of our village. A neighboring village that knew nothing of our heritage took us in. Tulpa came by again searching for conscripts and Cale was one of the first taken because of his ability with a sword. He refused to leave me knowing that I was a ShadowDancer and we took a risk at being right under Tulpa's nose. Tulpa punished Cale once when he found out my brother was a Shadow Master and hadn't told him. Cale was almost killed, but Tulpa thought better of it considering that Shadow Master's knew how to identify ShadowDancers. My other "brothers" know about me and helped Cale hide me as much as possible. They were "recruited" the same way. The only reason they have some much favor is because they seem to follow Tulpa's commands, but in secret they grieve over the people they have killed. Cale hopes that the prophecy will come true soon and they can be rid of Tulpa for good." Mia's face became wistful. "Then may be the Nether Realm will be what it once was again."  
"That is an interesting tale," said Cye. "It explains why that Anubis guy was willing to talk treason with us and why they seem to hover over you."  
"As far as anyone know, I'm the last known ShadowDancer. All the ones in the Nether Realm are either hiding in deep holes or are dead. With the Mortal Realm and the Nether Realm separated from each other, no one knows if there are any ShadowDancers even alive in the Mortal Realm. Tulpa made sure that we couldn't talk to anyone."  
"But you're talking to us," pointed out Kento.  
"That's because Tulpa doesn't know that I'm even here," said Mia. "Seckmet made sure that I left the Nether Realm while my brothers kept Tulpa and Kayura distracted. They don't know where I am in the Mortal Realm now and hopefully that will stay that way until Tulpa can be overthrown."  
"Why?" asked Kento.  
"Because Tulpa will hunt me down and use them to do it. Or he will kill my brothers and send Kayura in their place. He has many loyal warriors who would love to take my brothers' places." Mia looked out the window and noticed the soft gray of predawn. "I have to hide. The morning is coming and I can't be here."  
"I have the basement ready if you want to use it," offered Ryo. "The fire said that you would be coming and I figured that you could use a place to stay."  
Mia smiled her thanks and followed the FireDancer down to the haven made for her. Kento scowled, but held his peace. Time would tell if she would be trustworthy or not.  
As dawn lit the house Sage came down the stairs to see his friends gathered at the kitchen table. Correction, everyone was there except for Ryo. The SunSinger wondered where the FireDancer was when said person coming up from the basement answered him.  
"Morning," greeted the SunSinger.  
"Morning," said Kento grouchily. "We have a houseguest."  
Sage arched an eyebrow and looked at the rest of his friends. Ryo answered his silent question. "It's the ShadowDancer that we've been wondering about. It seems that she needs sanctuary from Tulpa as well." 


	7. Chapter 7

ShadowDancer and SunSinger  
Chapter 7  
Rocky Oberlin  
  
Disclaimer: Don't own the Ronin Warriors of the idea of the   
ShadowDancer and SunSinger.  
  
They say that curiosity killed the cat. Well, Sage was pretty sure he knew what the cat was feeling before it was killed. The SunSinger wanted to see the mysterious ShadowDancer that everyone had been talking about. He personally only saw glimpses of her before falling to his coma like sleep and she disappears. Now she was in their house, in their basement, and he was debating on knocking on the door to the basement to finally meet.  
"You look like a man with a problem," offered a voice.  
Sage turned to see Kento leaning against a door jam with his arms folded across his chest. The EarthSinger was watching the slighter young man closely.  
"I was wondering if I should go down to see the ShadowDancer," shrugged Sage.  
Kento snorted. "Everyone wants to see the ShadowDancer. I say let her stay down there until we can get rid of her. Tulpa already knows about us and now we are hiding something he wants even more then us." Kento shifted from his position. "May be her story is just that, a story. She may be a spy for Tulpa to see if we do have a SunSinger."  
Sage was puzzled at his friend's statement. Usually Kento was open and friendly to anyone he meets. Everyone in the village loved him and he had a way with children that allowed parents to go on with their errands whenever the children of the village flocked to the EarthSinger. This suspicious manner was as strange as Ryo walking on water.  
"Why don't you like her, Kento?"  
"Because I don't want to loose a friend. We know the curses that you and possibly her have. If you are able to survive, then we have the battle half fought. We don't know if this ShadowDancer is even here because she is running from Tulpa."  
"What about Ryo's first conversation with that Anubis guy?"  
"That could have been an act. If there is a need for a ShadowDancer, why not just look for one here in the Mortal Realm? At least we can trust them, unlike the one in our basement. She came from the Nether Realm. May be she was running from something else."  
"Or may be you don't want to loose a friend to a woman," added another voice. Cye stepped into the kitchen and looked at the two Singers. "Kento, you have to learn a little trust. Like she said, she may be the last ShadowDancer there is in both Realms."  
"Huh, I still don't trust her. She has to earn my trust."  
The WaterDancer looked at his large friend. "If that is what it takes, then fine. But, please, Kento, give her a break. If her story is true, then she barely got out of a bad situation."  
Sage turned to go down the stairs to the basement. He wanted to finally meet the ShadowDancer that even his friends were fighting over.  
He got down one step when a concussion from a large energy blast shook the house.  
The three in the kitchen were still reeling from the aftereffects when Ryo and Rowen came rushing in. "I think that Anubis guy is showing up for a fight now," said Ryo.  
"Now we see if he's telling the truth or if we are going to have a big problem," added Rowen.  
The group ran out of the house to find where their "enemy" was starting his attack. Kento breathed a sigh of relief that it was far from the village, but he wondered if this wasn't just a distraction to keep them from saving the villagers. He couldn't ponder it for very long as suits of samari armor turned their attention from destroying the forest to the five young men that slid into their midst. Kento don't ask he just punched one that was too close for his liking. Ryo and Sage must have been born with swords in their hands as each and at least had one to fight with. Kento absently wondered where they had gotten them from as they had all rushed out the door without stopping.  
Rowen was holding back from the group a bit. Like Ryo and Sage, he had the presence of mind to grab a weapon before he left his room. Ryo had the same idea when they met in the hall to run downstairs the collect the rest of their friends and see what was going on. Rowen pulled back his arrow, found a target, and fired. He snatched up another arrow quick and started the process again. Ryo was doing good protecting the WaterDancer's back as Cye fought with a staff claimed from a fallen soldier. Rowen checked on his other two friends and noticed that Sage had grabbed his sword before leaving the house. That was good for him as the ones with swords were harder to claim a weapon from. Rowen picked off a soldier that was coming up on the SunSinger's blind side and then started to look for Kento. The big EarthSinger seemed to be doing well for himself with just his fists. Rowen shot a few more soldiers from around his large friend just in case. So far Rowen figured that everyone was managing all right in the fight.  
Sage parried a sword thrust and moved in with his own move. The soldier went down and did not get back up. But there was another waiting almost like they were in a line to fight him. Sage focused on his new adversary and tried to block out the fights of his other friends. He felt the whistle of Rowen's arrow go by him and pierce the armor of another soldier that was approaching from his back left. Sage would have to thank the HeavenSinger later for that save. Another soldier was down and two more were coming at him. Sage emptied his mind and brought to the fore the teaching of his family and Clan. They went down in a pile of scrap metal.  
Cye was thankful that Ryo came to protect his back. The WaterDancer wasn't as used to fighting as the others were and to have someone skilled making sure that he came away in one piece relieved some of the worries on his mind. Cye felt foolish for running out to a fight without a weapon and had to snag one from a soldier he miraculously fell. The wooden weapon helped him keep off any soldiers that thought that he was an easy target; of course, having Ryo keeping the rest away from his back helped too. Block the chain and push the end into the stomach of the soldier. It went down and didn't get back up. Cye was surprised considering that he didn't hit it that hard. Cye looked up to see the red haired warrior, Anubis, smiling a fleeting second before turning to his own job. Cye thought, 'May be they can be trusted after all."  
Ryo brought one of his katanas down on the soldier as he blocked with the other. He was glad that he got to his friend before the whole horde of enemy soldiers did. Ryo may not like water, but he did like the little WaterDancer and Dancers should probably stick together. Ryo's next bunch of opponents was harder to beat; time to up the ante a little. Ryo brought his power of fire down to the twin swords in his hands. He swept at the soldiers and left scorch marks across the armor plating. The soldiers didn't seem to like the hot swords and started to fall back. Ryo wasn't going to move from his place though, that would leave the smaller Dancer open to attack even if Rowen were shooting from the trees. They would have to come to him.  
Cye felt the heat from Ryo's swords as they pushed back the soldiers in back of him. Ryo was probably on the right track, so Cye started to use a bit more fluid movements mimicking the tide of the large bodies of water. It seemed to work as it pushed more of the soldiers back from him. This trick caught the attention of Anubis who gave a grin to the auburn haired young man. Yes, they were going to make it through this battle.  
The soldiers fell before the five different members of the Clans, leaving just the top warrior alone. Anubis nodded to himself; this was as it should be. He didn't need to help the young Singers and Dancers, as he feared that he would, they had performed well on their own. "Very good, young ones. You did excellent in your first battle for your Realm. Next time we will see if you can keep it up." Anubis disappeared through a conjured Gate to report his sound defeat to the young men.  
"That was weird," said Cye. "He didn't even fight us at the end."  
"I also noticed that he helped you once, Cye," added Rowen. "May be he is trustworthy."  
"Or he was just testing us," said Kento.  
"Are you still on that kick?" asked Cye. "He could have attacked me at any moment while Ryo was busy, but he didn't. That should count for something."  
"He is right, Kento," said Sage. "But we shouldn't put too much trust in them. They will have to fight us a some point and that one already knows how we fight."  
"So we be careful not to show our real power until we go against Tulpa," said Ryo. "They have to make their reports to their "Master" and to the other warriors with them. If they do fight with us in the end, then they will know how we fight and what to watch for."  
"And if we fight with them?" asked Kento.  
"Then we know their habits as well," said Sage. "Did you notice what he was fighting with Cye?"  
The WaterDancer lowered his head as he thought. "It was a kusari gama. He would send it into the fight to tie up the soldiers when he felt like fighting. I think he was trying to be as inconspicuous as possible."  
"Wouldn't you if someone was watching over your shoulder as you planned treason?" asked Rowen. "If he was trying to help, it would have to be underhanded to keep Tulpa from discovering that you were actually helping your enemy."  
"So we wait for the next warrior to come out and test us," said Sage.  
"And may be they will try to get a hold of us again to plan how to stop Tulpa," added Ryo.  
No one disputed his remark as they walked back to their home.  
  
Anubis knelt before his "Master" as he was threatened and rebuked for his loss. Kayura stood off to the side smirking at the fallen warrior. Anubis wanted to growl at her, but she was fast rising in Tulpa's favor and the losses he and his friends were going to receive was going to put her even higher.  
"You lost a whole squad of warriors to five BOYS!" thundered Tulpa.  
'Yes, and I will do it again to rid the Nether Realm of you,' thought Anubis.  
"You are supposed to be my elite. You should have been able to bring that area under my control so we could bring more of my warriors across to take that Realm."  
'Time to continue my act.'  
"I apologize, Master. The boys who fought back knew how to fight and to cover themselves. The archer stayed away from the battle and took out any of the soldiers who tried to get the boys from behind. Two of the ones fighting even covered each others back as they fought."  
"What of the power I felt in that battle? I know that I felt power of the Dancers coming from there."  
Anubis shook his head. How was he to lie about this one? "There could have been a Dancer from one of the Clans there, but I wasn't sure. I couldn't tell if there was any power being used, let alone where it was coming from." He hoped that set Tulpa off from the topic.  
"It could be that Anubis is weak and shouldn't be fighting for your cause, Master Tulpa," said Lady Kayura. Anubis cringed at how oily her statement was. He would rather be with Seckmet who looked like a snake then to be in her presence as she talked like one. "May be you should send a more powerful warrior instead of this lackey."  
Tulpa seemed to consider her statement as Anubis fumed over her taunt. It would be a good day when people such as her would be out of a job currying favor with a monster like Tulpa.  
"I will give one other Warlords a chance. If they can't defeat these five boys, then I will send someone who can." Tulpa turned to the smirking woman. "I will send you as a last resort. I don't want them to know about you unless they are as powerful as Anubis said."  
Anubis was satisfied that Tulpa's statement had wiped the smirk off of Lady Kayura's face, but bristled at the innuendo that he was weak. The only weakness he had was working for a monster and his bootlicking lackeys.  
"You are dismissed, Anubis. Send Dais to me when you see him."  
Anubis bowed to his "Master". "As you wish, Master Tulpa." Anubis' retreat wasn't hasty, but it was quick. He had to get to the others before Tulpa ordered them to fight the five Singers and Dancers.  
  
'Here we are, contemplating that cat again.'  
Sage was in the same place as before, but it was getting close to evening. The battle had taken most of the day and then they had to care for the injuries sustained in the battle. Kento was now with Cye getting supplies from the village and giving them warning of the coming attacks. Hopefully the village can evacuate or find a way of defending themselves when Tulpa did attack. Rowen was up in his room reading one of his great tomes and Sage wasn't sure of where Ryo was, probably meditating in front of the fire to see what will happen next.  
Sage stepped down one step. Was this a good idea? Should he be courting possible death by facing the ShadowDancer in their basement?  
He took another step. How did he know that it would be death? For all Sage knew, he would go into his sleep again with a slim possibility of waking again.  
He paused at the next step down and frowned. Kento would be saying "I told you so" if that did happen. But what about Ryo; it was like he was hoping for the two meet. Was there something he knew that no one else did? Sage took the step down.  
He was getting closer to the ShadowDancer's room and time was getting closer to twilight. Should he be doing this right now? May be he should wait for morning when he had more time.  
Sage shook his head. Then it would be a possibility of the others loosing them both. If he did go through with this and fell into his sleep then at least they still had the ShadowDancer. Ryo could always find another SunSinger to fulfill the prophecy that he had been told about.  
Sage took the last steps down and faced the door to the ShadowDancer's room. It was now or never. He knocked on her door.  
  
Mia was startled at the knock. She knew that the HeavenSinger and the FireDancer may come down, but she wasn't sure about the others. The EarthSinger didn't like her; she smiled ruefully. He thought that she was here to kill the SunSinger or betray them all to Tulpa.  
There was another knock at her door. 'Guess I should go see who it is and what they want,' thought the woman. She went to the door and opened it up.  
  
Outside the window was open to allow the fading sunlight into the kitchen. The way it was situated the window was across from the basement door and allowed the light to shine down the stairs so that anyone could see where they were going. Incidentally, it also shined into the room that Mia was staying in. But in her room there was complete black, like night. These two forces met at the door just as Mia and Sage faced each other.  
  
The Heavens sang and the Fire in the hearths and volcanoes danced. Rowen shot up from his position on his stomach, dropping his book on the floor. He listened to the news his Element sang to him then he ran down the stairs. Ryo had been meditating in front of the fire in the living room, but when it started to dance he left his subconscious to see what the flames had to show him. He left his place to meet Rowen at the foot of the stairs and ran into the kitchen. They met Cye and Kento at the top of the basement stairs. Ryo was the first one to go down to see the picture that greeted them.  
It was as the Fire had told him. Standing in the doorway of the room Mia was hiding in was Sage and Mia. They were locked in an embrace as the shadows flitted over Sage and the fading sunlight shined on Mia. The prophecy had been started. 


	8. Chapter 8

ShadowDancer and SunSinger  
Chapter 8  
Rocky Oberlin  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Ronin Warriors or the idea of ShadowDancer   
and SunSinger. They belong to Sunrise Inc. and Mercedes Lackey   
respectively.  
  
As much as Cale missed his sister, he didn't want to see her in this drab Realm. He wished that he could see her free in the Mortal Realm without the threat of Tulpa hanging over her head and the curse that plagued them broken. Unfortunately it wasn't to be. Cale had to send his sister to the Mortal Realm just to keep Tulpa from even knowing that she was a ShadowDancer and now they had to attack that same Realm. Cale looked up as Anubis entered his home.  
"Dais, "Master" Tulpa wants to see you," growled the red haired man.  
"Bad day?" asked Seckmet.  
"I was ordered to attack a village near the forest we kept seeing the Singers and Dancers. I moved the target into the forest and met up with all five of the Singers and Dancers. They shouldn't have too much trouble against the soldiers, but Kayura was in the throne room when I made my report. I had to admit that I lost a whole squad in front of her and listen to her insults." Anubis sat down heavily in a chair and continued. "Tulpa will save her for last, but if we keep losing our fights to the Singers and Dancers, then he may send out one of the others early."  
"And we don't want that," said Dais. "We have to warn these boys somehow."  
"May be you could do it when you go look for them, Dais," said Cale. "I think that Tulpa will want to send you out to do that and try to capture them."  
"How will I be able to do that?" asked the one eyed man. "Tulpa will most certainly be looking over my shoulder."  
"Talk while you fight one of them," shrugged Anubis. "I might suggest the SunSinger or the FireDancer. If you went after the WaterDancer you may be picking the others off your back."  
"Which one is the WaterDancer?"  
"The auburn haired one. He's a bit taller then the others and pale. The FireDancer protected his back when we were fighting this morning."  
Dais sighed. "I'll see what I can do. I don't know what Tulpa will tell me and I don't know what the circumstances will be."  
"We can only ask," said Cale. "And please tell them to give my sister a message. Tell her I love her and miss her."  
"I'll do my best." Dais went to see what the "Master" wanted. Cale was right when he said that Dais was going to be sent out to try to capture the Singers and Dancers. Dais planned on getting thoroughly beaten in this fight just as Anubis did in the last one.  
  
Sage glanced out the window in the kitchen. It was dark out and the moon that he never saw before hung in its fullest stage. "Shouldn't I be asleep right now?"  
Ryo was grinning like a Cheshire cat. "Actually, I think that you won't have to worry about that much any more. Just like Mia won't have to worry about having to hide when the sun comes up."  
"Are you sure about that?" asked Mia. "I don't want to stake my life on an assumption."  
"It would seem logical that you could go out in the sun if Sage isn't in a coma right now," said Cye. "We've been watching him ever since we came together when the sun went down. This is the first time that I've ever seen him awake to see just the moon."  
"Yeah, you should hear the stars," added Rowen. "They are really happy that a SunSinger is now able to stay with them."  
"What is the Earth saying?" asked Sage.  
Kento scowled. "It says that soon the prophecy will be fulfilled. And it says that another Gate is opening near here. We are going to have another visitor."  
"May be we should see who it is," said Ryo. "It might be one of our "friends"."  
Mia perked up at the thought. "One of my brothers? It would be nice to see them."  
"I don't think that you should go with us," said Sage. "It might be one of the others."  
"But-"  
"He's right," said Cye. "We don't want to lose you when we are so close. You should probably stay here."  
"But-"  
"Let's discuss this later," said Kento. "The Earth says that he's getting closer and I don't want to move again; I like this spot."  
Mia wasn't able to get another word in as they all left. But Mia spent most of her life hiding who she was and just plain hiding period. Mia was also a proud woman and learned to handle herself very well with the help of her brothers. To say that she is stubborn is an understatement. Mia wasn't going to hide behind five Singers and Dancers when she could take care of herself against anything that Tulpa threw at her and keep her secret from the overlord. Mia walked out the door after the five others and walked in the shadows to see whom their visitor was.  
  
Three people knew that there was another person listening to their conversation. Dais stood one step from the Gate that he had used to enter the Mortal Realm. He had it firmly closed so that no one else could use it or listen to the conversation. Being the Master of Illusion, though, he knew that Mia was hiding in the shadows. From the knowing looks passed between the black haired boy and the blue haired one, he knew they also knew that Mia had followed them. It would be interesting to see how this was going to play out.  
"Greetings, formidable enemies, or is it possible allies?" asked Dais.  
"Depends on what you're doing here," said the blonde.  
"I'm here to talk to you about what is going on in the Nether Realm and how you should use it to your advantage."  
"And we should trust you because...?" asked Kento.  
"Because Mia trusts me. Ask her."  
"I think that we can trust him anyway," said Rowen. "The stars say that he watched over her the night after Mia and I met."  
"You must be the HeavenSinger that Mia told us about," said Dais.  
"She told you about us?" asked Kento. "May be I was right after all, Ryo. We can't trust her."  
"Only you would make assumptions like that," growled Dais. "You are of the Earth, but you are too stubborn to even listen to what your own element is saying let alone your friends. Mia only told us that she met him while out one night. We were concerned that you might have given Mia away to Tulpa. Without her and your SunSinger, we are all doomed to an existence under Tulpa."  
"Why did you come here?" asked Ryo.  
"To give you a warning," answered Dais. "Tulpa is getting angry with my three friends and I. If Anubis, a green haired snake-like man, a blue haired man with a scar, or I don't come with the soldiers, then the leaders won't give you quarter. You will have to fight to defeat them. The worst one is Lady Kayura. She wishes to be Tulpa's favorite and will do anything to become it. You must be wary of her the most."  
"A girl?" asked Rowen. "Tulpa has a girl leading his forces?"  
"Don't underestimate Kayura," warned Dais. "She is as good as any of us. Ask Mia when you see her. I would say that you should have Mia show you what she knows. Cale taught her everything that she needed to know on defence and magic plus a few things that she didn't need to know. Mia may be the only one who could even defeat Kayura."  
"We'll take what you said into consideration," said Sage. "Thank you for telling us."  
Dais smirked before opening the Gate to leave. "If you underestimate Mia, then you are really underestimating Kayura. You should learn something from this lesson. I will see you again and this time be prepared to fight." Dais left quickly and quietly. He had to keep the resonance from the Gate down so he wouldn't alert "Master" Tulpa of his early trip to the Mortal Realm.  
  
Rowen turned to the trees that Mia as hiding behind. "I think that you can come out now."  
The shadows parted from the trees and Mia stepped into the light of the moon and stars. "He's right you know," she said. "You shouldn't underestimate Lady Kayura. She didn't get where she is by playing fair."  
"You were here the whole time?" stormed Sage. He wasn't sure if it was just concern or the strange feeling that he had started to develop when he first saw the ShadowDancer.  
Mia gave him a defiant look. "I had to hide myself in enemy territory for as long as I can remember. If Tulpa knew that I was a ShadowDancer, then I would be killed or used. Neither Cale nor any of my other brothers wanted that. They had to serve Tulpa as a debt to stay alive. We kept our eyes open while we did our own type of hiding. We can tell you about everything in the Nether Realm and how to survive it."  
"So you are saying that we should treat you like an equal and not a burden or something that should be protected," finished Cye. "One thing though, you are the only known ShadowDancer. If you are caught, then everything is lost."  
"I won't get caught," said Mia with a raise of her head. "I've been hiding for my whole life. I know how to keep unwanted attention from me."  
"Can we discuss this at the house?" asked Rowen. "We are sort of open to attack out here."  
Mia nodded at the HeavenSinger and left the group to follow her when they were ready. She called the shadows around her and disappeared from their sight as she proceeded into the woods.  
"That went well," said Ryo.  
"What do you mean?" asked Cye.  
"I mean that we managed to underestimate four possible allies and Kento might have angered them. Then we managed to annoy the one who can help us when we go into the Nether Realm. Like I said, that went well."  
"Does anyone else catch that note of sarcasm in his voice?" asked Kento with little humor.  
"Oh, I caught it and I agree," said Rowen. "Remember, we were there when Mia came through the Gate for the last time. She was frightened, but she moved with a trained efficiency."  
"Or we are listening to our elements who knew the ShadowDancers for a lot longer then we have been around," said Ryo. "Your elements haven't been around ShadowDancers as much so they can't tell you what we know. Just because Rowen and I know about ShadowDancers it doesn't mean we have don't know the person who happens to be a ShadowDancer."  
Ryo and Rowen started for the house after Mia. The three left looked at each other and Cye shook his head. "The Priest and the Scholar have spoken. We better give Mia a chance before they do something we will regret for a long time."  
"What could they do to us?" asked Kento.  
"Well, we could have cold dinners or unrecognizable pieces of carbon," offered Cye.  
"And Rowen knows what we are like so he could just tell Mia what to have the shadows show us in the night," said Sage. "I think that they are right and we should give them a chance."  
"Could have told you that earlier," muttered Cye. "I was saying that you should have trusted Mia more Kento. Now we just have to trust that she knows how to handle herself."  
  
In the distance there were four smiles. One was on a woman's face as the shadows told her of the discussion between the five Clan members she was now rooming with and their decision. The other two were on the faces of the FireDancer and the HeavenSinger as the stars told their Singer of the final moments left to their three friends. Hope swelled a little more for the sake of humanity and their own survival.  
The fourth smile was on a shadowed face of Tulpa's opposite. He was relieved that the ShadowDancer had been accepted into the group and was surprised at how quickly the SunSinger had sought her out.  
"May be there is more to the breaking of the curse then the two finally coming together."  
There was no answer to the statement, but the shadows knew. They just didn't want to give up this secret to anyone yet. 


	9. Chapter 9

ShadowDancer and SunSinger  
Chapter 9  
Rocky Oberlin  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own the Ronin Warriors or the idea of the   
ShadowDancer and SunSinger. They belong to Sunrise and Mercedes   
Lackey respectively.  
  
Dais knelt before his "Master" and waited for his instructions. "You will attack those pitiful Singers and Dancers," growled Tulpa. "Take Lady Kayura with you. She will help you defeat these pests."  
This startled Dais. "Master Tulpa? Shouldn't we wait until a better time before letting anyone know about the Lady? She could help us at a later time."  
"No," thundered Tulpa. "She will go with you on this errand. I want those Singers and Dancers killed."  
"Yes, Master Tulpa," bowed Dais. Internally he ground his teeth and wished there was some way he could tell his possible allies that they were going to face the Lady Kayura sooner then expected. May be Cale could get a hold of his sister through the shadows. This was the only hope that Dais could harbor in the dark filled corridors of Tulpa's castle.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Did he ask about Mia?" asked Cale as Dais came back to get ready for his assignment.  
"No, but he's sending Kayura with me when I leave," snarled Dais. He threw his helmet on the table next to him as he sat down on the chair to face his long time friend. "Can you get a message to Mia about this?"  
Cale shrugged. "I don't know. I can try, but I don't know if the shadows can cross from one Realm into another. It might be impossible."  
"Try. Those boys don't quite trust Mia yet and will have a harder time defeating Kayura. They need any advantage they can get."  
"I'll do my best, but try to help them yourself too. We have to stop Tulpa."  
"Of course." Dais left his home to meet with his troops and the woman who allowed herself to be swallowed by the darkness. He prayed to gods he had given up a long time ago that the six Singers and Dancers would be able to stand against this bunch of troops. They were the only hope of two Realms.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Cale sat in his darkened room and started his elementary shadow weaving. He was a Shadow Master, but he would never be able to do what his sister could. The shadows came to his call and waited patiently for his direction. He stood before them with a puzzle on his mind. 'How to do this,' Cale wondered. 'How would I turn shadows into messengers?'  
"The best way is to ask, master."  
One shadow seemed to drift closer to the Shadow Master. It seemed to know more about what was on Cale's mind then the others. Shadows didn't show age, but Cale always thought that some were older then others. This one seemed to act the oldest of the group.  
"What is your bidding, master?"  
It's now or never. Cale had to go through with this and hope that the shadows could contact Mia.  
"I need you to take a message to the ShadowDancer. Tell her that Dais will be accompanied by Lady Kayura on his attack on the Mortal Realm."  
"Where is the ShadowDancer?"  
Cale inwardly winced; the answer could make or break the little hope the four warriors had.  
"The ShadowDancer is in the Mortal Realm."  
"It will be difficult, master," pondered the shadow. "Crossing will be hard."  
"Will a Gate help?"  
"No, master. We could be lost in-between."  
"I see. Please, do what you can. The ShadowDancer has to know about this before Dais leaves with his soldiers."  
"It shall be done, master, or we shall tell you otherwise."  
Cale's room lightened as the shadows departed from him. It was all the hope he had. Like his friend, Cale took comfort in praying to gods he had long forgotten and hoped they hadn't forgotten him.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
~Can this be done?~  
~It has to. We will lose the only ShadowDancer if they lose.~  
~But how are we to cross the borders of the Nether Realm and the Mortal Realm?~  
~By slipping through the cracks like we always do.~  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Lady Kayura noticed that a previously dark hallway wasn't as dark as it was an hour before. She noted it absently and figured that Cale or Mia was playing with the shadows again. She curled her lip at the thought of a warrior finding entertainment in the manipulation of shadows and further disgust at the thought of the warrior's sister. She would have to ask Master Tulpa to do something with them when she was in his favor. May be she could convince him of letting her use Cale's sister for torture practice in front of the five Singers and Dancers.  
As she left the hallway another shadow left as well. It would do well to warn the ShadowDancer of Tulpa's puppet. Only the ShadowDancer can bring out the power locked in the shadows themselves. It was that power the shadows hoped to help bring down the dark overlord of the Nether Realm. A second shadow left the hall as well. The Shadow Master should be told of the treachery so close to him.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Mia didn't trust the light as much as the SunSinger trusted the darkness. May be it was all the conditioning that the light would destroy her if she stepped into it that held her back. But, oh how she enjoyed the sunrise with him and the FireDancer. Now she stayed in the dimmer parts of the kitchen while the WaterDancer near by only made her more nervous. She knew that the EarthSinger didn't trust her and having Dais come with a warning of an attack didn't promote feelings of trust in the large Singer.  
"So what did you do in the Nether Realm?" asked Cye awkwardly. He didn't know how to handle having another person that wasn't one of his friends in the kitchen with him while he worked. This had to be something that he was going to have to get used to.  
Mia shrugged. "Not much. I made breakfast for my brothers and then slept the day through. I couldn't even go into the Nether Realm's light for fear of being destroyed or discovered. I always went out at night. Cale let me go through the Gates to see what the Mortal Realm is like, but I never got to see it in the daytime like Anubis, Dais, or Seckmet."  
"What about that time we found you next to Sage?"  
At the mention of the SunSinger, Mia felt her stomach do a slight twist. Was she falling for the blond SunSinger? It was a possibility and she wondered how to proceed. Was her feelings even returned?  
"I had miscalculated the time of day in the Mortal Realm," she said absently. "I had to stay in the forest until the sun was down enough for me to leave it."  
Cye is a Healer; he could feel some of the emotions another person he was healing could feel as he worked. He also could read tones and body language like any of the other Singers and Dancers. It became a self-defense for people who liked to use their powers for something other then the benefit of the area and world as a whole. So when Cye heard the absent tone in Mia's voice, he looked up. She was staring into space with a confused and slightly love struck look on her face. Going back through the conversation, Cye came to the point when she started to sound distracted and looked back further to see what was the cause. He didn't think the question about her whereabouts was the cause of said look, but the mention of his friend might be. Time to test the theory.  
"What about your second run in with Sage. When Ryo and I found him, he seemed a little shell shocked after meeting with you."  
Mia blushed at the remembered encounter. "It was a mistake on both our parts," she said quickly. "He thought I was someone else and I took him for a danger. That was how he came to chase me that night."  
"He also said that he tackled you to the ground. It took us a few tries to get him back on track after he started to think about your eyes." Cye chuckled, as Mia blushed even redder. His theory was right; Mia did like Sage. Now to convince the stubborn SunSinger that he returned the feelings. May be he should leave that to Ryo and Rowen; those two seem to know how to deal with the two opposite powers better then Cye did. All he had to do was let the priest and the scholar know about his findings. He would just help on the sidelines and try to get Kento to start trusting her a little more.  
Cye was going to ask another question when the kitchen went darker as shadows flooded the room and went directly to Mia. If he didn't trust the small ShadowDancer as much as he did, Cye would have thought that she was trying to do something to help Tulpa gain control of the five Singers and Dancers in the house.  
"What do you mean that Lady Kayura is on her way here!" Mia was off her seat and looking ready to fight with what little she knew. The green-eyed girl watched the shadows shift painfully in the alien Realm as they delivered their message. Another shadow slipped in and added what if found out to the already frightening message. "Thank you for the warning. Give my thanks to my brother as well." The shadows took a grateful leave of the ShadowDancer to return to their native Realm.  
Mia looked at one of her hosts. "Dais had Cale send me a message. When he attacks, Lady Kayura will be with him. We may have been found out."  
Cye reacted on the instinct of a hunted man. "We better tell the others and get ready for them to appear. Do you know if Dais will help any?"  
Mia spread her hands. "I'm not sure. He may have to play along with Lady Kayura to keep her from knowing that he and my other brothers are planning treason."  
"Come on. We better get the others. We have a battle to get ready for."  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
"What do you know about this Lady Kayura?" asked Sage.  
Mia looked at the whole group. "She is utterly ruthless. She enjoys the battle and underhanded tricks. If she can't win by strength, then she will use less honorable techniques that can and does kill others. If it wasn't for my brothers, then she would have been Tulpa's favorite of his warriors."  
"How can we fight her?" asked Ryo.  
"Never let your guard down. She will use anything, even acting like she was too injured to fight. She likes to play on your pity for her to get close to you, and then she will strike. I've watched my brothers fight with her once in a while. Lady Kayura pulled several less then honorable tactics on them in the course of the years she started to be the hardened warrior she was and they more often then not started to refuse to practice with her. It took an order from Tulpa himself for any of them to fight her. Always after they would come back and complain of the underhanded deeds she pulled."  
"So we are facing someone with no honor and little conscience," said Rowen. "She could pull anything and we could fall for it."  
"Let me fight her," said Mia.  
A "no" resounded around the room, but Mia sat patiently through the rounds of protests before stating her case. "I know what she is like and I know the whiles she can and will use. Remember, I grew up in a hostile land, so Cale taught me how to defend myself. I also know how to use my power for things other then hiding. She will chew you up and spit you out. If you have to, watch my fight with her and you will see what I mean about Lady Kayura being a ruthless fighter."  
Each one of the Singers and Dancers in the room wanted to protest Mia even going out to fight, but some saw the circumstances as it lay. Others didn't want to trust her to fight on their side, but claim that it was an elaborate plan to get their hands on Sage. Sage didn't want to see Mia fight for reasons other then Kento's and was trying to figure out why he felt sickened at the thought of Mia even fighting. 


	10. Chapter 10

ShadowDancer and SunSinger  
Chapter 10  
Rocky Oberlin  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own the Ronin Warriors of the idea of   
ShadowDancer and SunSinger. They belong to big business and Mercedes   
Lackey respectively.  
  
Mia pondered her friendship with Lady Kayura before the other had started her search for power. They had been good friends and to a point playmates when younger. The little Kayura had known that Mia was special, but over the years had forgotten her childhood secret. Mia had watched her friend go more towards the promise of power held out to them if they followed Tulpa. Mia knew better from watching her brothers and listening to the stories the shadows told her when she was allowed to be alone with them. Mia tried to tell her friend about the hollowness of the promises, but Kayura hadn't listened. She accused the ShadowDancer of being jealous of her newfound power.  
  
"No, Kayura, I wasn't jealous of your power. You could have been a wonderful Singer yourself, but you wanted what you can't handle. Now you are twisted and I don't know if you can return to the friend I once knew."  
  
Mia left her pondering and memories as she felt the Gate open once more. The other Singers and Dancers also knew that the Gate had opened because they reached for their various weapons. Mia wondered if she could even keep Lady Kayura from knowing that Dais was a traitor and helping the five defeat the little force coming this way.  
  
"You better be telling the truth that this Lady Kayura is coming," said Kento. "And that this Dais is going to help us."  
  
"They both are here," said Mia.  
  
"How do you know?" asked Rowen.  
  
"Dais could never keep hidden from me and the shadows are telling me of a twisted HeavenSinger."  
  
That startled everyone. "Twisted HeavenSinger?" asked Ryo. "How can that happen?"  
  
Mia shrugged. "I don't know how she came to the Nether Realm or to Tulpa's castle, but once she was a possible HeavenSinger. When she started to grow into her powers, Tulpa began to twist her with promises of power." Mia looked down for a moment. "I don't know if she could ever be returned to the person that she could have been."  
  
She looked up to see the sickened faces of her new comrades. They all wondered how close they had been at one point from being like this Lady Kayura that Mia had known so well once.  
  
"Do you think it might be possible for Lady Kayura to be brought back?" asked Rowen.  
  
"I don't know. Cale never told me of anything like this. We didn't have as much access to the histories of the different Singers and Dancers because of our tremulous place under Tulpa's watch. It was only later when Lady Kayura had fully developed her abilities that either one of us knew that she was a potential HeavenSinger."  
  
The conversation lagged as the group approached the area where they had felt the Gate open. Mia quickly started to look into the shadows and watch for the illusions that her brother might be forced into creating to hide the force he was with.  
  
"Over there," whispered Ryo. He pointed to the left of the group to what seemed to be an empty area in the midst of the tree trunks, but his fire-blessed eyes saw through the illusions just as Mia looked to find that he was right.  
  
"I don't see anything," said Cye quietly.  
  
"That's because Dais is hiding them," said Mia.  
  
"How do we convince him of dropping the illusion?" asked Sage.  
  
"By letting him know that you aren't fooled," responded Mia.  
  
"How?"  
  
"Rowen, fire an arrow to the left of the tree with the blaze on the trunk going from the ground to the height of you," ordered Mia.  
  
Rowen shrugged, but found the target he was told. He personally didn't see anything, but then, he wasn't gifted with the ability to see past illusions and into the shadows. He shot to the left of the tree as ordered and watched as the whole scene wavered like heat shimmers in the hot summer afternoon. Instead of seeing just an empty forest, the soldiers that looked like the ones he fought before shimmered before his eyes.  
  
"You're going to have to teach us that trick," said Rowen.  
  
"I don't think they can," negated Sage. "I think it has to do with their different abilities."  
  
"You should have been able to see them," said Cye. "You are the mage of this group."  
  
"I think that something was blocking me. I couldn't see anything."  
  
"That would be Dais," said Mia. "He works like a mage and he has had years of practice to develop his work."  
  
She turned her attention back to the forces in front of them. It didn't seem right to her, there should have been more and where was Kayura?  
  
"Scatter!" Mia yelled as she ran between the boys she was with to the back.  
  
Sage had the presence of mind to look the way she was going and realized that they had been surrounded by the forces. The ones behind them were lead by the hereto-unknown Lady Kayura. Now he knew what she looked like and why Mia said that she would fight her. Sage and Ryo exchanged glances and nods of understanding on why Mia had been so passionate about taking on the Nether Realm warrior.  
  
"She radiates darkness," muttered Kento as he glanced back at the other half of the attacking force. It shook him up to see someone so into the darkness that they were like the black holes Rowen talked about when he felt a star die. He couldn't concentrate on the force behind him any more as the force in front of them started their attack. "Cye, watch your right, there's a soldier coming in from behind you!"  
  
Cye glanced in his blind spot and moved to block the soldier. He smiled thanks to his friend and continued to handle his yari with skillful hands.  
  
Rowen wished that he could use his bow for something other then a quarterstaff, but he had no choice in the matter. The area was too close for him to properly use his chosen weapon and the soldiers were too close for him to do it safely without bringing his friends under friendly fire. So he made do with what he could and kept an eye out for an attacker from behind him.  
  
Sage and Ryo knew that Rowen wouldn't use his bow against the soldiers for fear of hitting one of them, so they unconsciously bracketed him between them while they fought. Sage was aware that Cye and Kento were taking care of the first group of soldiers, but he was worried about the warrior leading them. Where was the one eyed man who had warned them the night before of the coming attack?  
  
"You should watch your blind side a little more, SunSinger," admonished a voice.  
  
Sage looked to his left to see a soldier pinned to the ground with a javelin of some white substance before both dissolved before his eyes. He looked in the opposite direction to see the strange warrior slipping back into whatever realm he hid in. Sage frowned, but didn't say anything. He hoped that Mia as right and her brothers were going to help them.  
  
Speaking of Mia, where was she?  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Mia held her loose stance and watched her former friend smile cruelly before her in a similar stance. Lady Kayura held her jittes in her hands and seemed to ponder how she was going to defeat the annoying girl.  
  
"Master Tulpa was disappointed that you left in such a hurry," she said sweetly. "He really wanted you to join his little band of warriors just like your brother and his friends. Too bad I have to go back and tell him that you are an ungrateful traitor. He will be upset at losing you, but he will reward me for finding a traitor in his midst. You're a target now, my dear," she ended sneeringly.  
  
Mia didn't respond to her former friend, but inside she was saddened by how twisted Lady Kayura had become. This wasn't her friend that she knew when the other had first arrived at Tulpa's castle; this was a stranger who delighted in pain. Her friend may be dead for all Mia knew.  
  
Mia watched her opponent for the clue that would tell her that the fight would start. The ShadowDancer didn't have to wait very long as Lady Kayura figured to bring her down quickly.  
  
"Star Swords Scream!"  
  
In the distance, Rowen felt the power of the twisted HeavenSinger and Sage felt the power that was so darkly colored. The five Singers and Dancers all paused at the beginning show of Lady Kayura's power. Now they knew why Mia was so adamant at her taking on the other female warrior.  
  
Mia didn't know why, but she was expecting that. She waited until she was sure that Lady Kayura was fooled into thinking that she would be hit by her attack. Then she made her move. Shadows wrapped around their ShadowDancer as she called them and sent to concentrated power into several directions to fall harmlessly on the attacking soldiers.  
  
"How did you do that? Not even Cale can do that!" exclaimed Lady Kayura.  
  
"That is for me to know and you to never find out," said Mia sadly.  
  
She backed up her attack with a physical one. Lady Kayura was forced into the defensive stance as Mia pushed her back with a flurry of moves. Mia had taken out her long daggers after using the power of the shadows to block away the dead stars. Lady Kayura was used to fighting with people with swords, katanas, and other long distance weapons, but she didn't think that she needed to fight in such close contact with her opponent. Mia used the advantage that she found she had and used all the techniques that her four brothers showed her. It didn't have a definite technique, but it was dangerous. What made her more dangerous was that Lady Kayura didn't know what Mia was going to throw at her next.  
  
"You should have studied my brothers more, then you wouldn't be in this bind," said Mia.  
  
"Why should I when I will command the soldiers over your ~brothers~?" asked Lady Kayura.  
  
"Because they know more about fighting then you or I will ever know," answered back Mia. Then she backed off, waiting for Lady Kayura to take the bait.  
  
The female warrior followed her opponent, thinking that Mia had tired out and was ready to defeat. It was only when Mia went down to sweep her legs out from under her that Lady Kayura finally understood that Mia was accomplished in self defense and used it to her advantage. The Nether Realm warrior stepped up her attacks and started to use more of her power against the traitor to Tulpa.  
  
Mia noticed that Lady Kayura was using more of her powers against the ShadowDancer. Mia called the shadows closer to her and asked them to block the dead star's power.  
  
~We can only do so much against her, Mistress. We won't be able to stop everything.~  
  
/~Do as much as you're able and I will try to avoid the rest,~/ Mia returned.  
  
~We will try, Mistress.~  
  
The shadows diligently protected their Dancer from Lady Kayura's power, but the power of the dead stars was thrown around without thought or care. The shadows knew that they were going to need help to protect their Dancer.  
  
~Get help. We will protect Mistress.~  
  
One lone shadow drifted along the ground toward the source of other powers that felt friendlier then the one that its Mistress fought. The closer it got, the more light seemed to brush its senses. That was the one that its Mistress liked.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Sage was surprised when a lone shadow seemed to crawl up him and perch on his shoulder. It brushed against him, but he had difficulties hearing or understanding what it was trying to say. All he could pick up was the urgency it gave off in waves. It was Ryo who was able to tell the SunSinger what the shadow tried so hard to say.  
  
"Sage! Mia needs help!"  
  
"Mia" and "help" rang through his brain as he turned to look for the ShadowDancer. He found her covered by her shadows and trying to avoid shots of power given off by her opponent. He didn't need the prompting from the shadow to run toward the fighting women. He opened his mouth and called his power to him.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Mia knew she was tiring and when she stumbled, Lady Kayura pushed her advantage. She forced Mia to the ground with a well-placed kick to the side of her knee. As Mia tried to scramble to her feet, Lady Kayura used her advantage by holding Mia to the ground with her jittes.  
  
"You lose."  
  
"Not today," hissed a male voice. Sage launched himself at Lady Kayura, swinging his no dachi to block Lady Kayura's jittes.  
  
"Who are you?" growled Lady Kayura.  
  
Sage didn't answer her question, but he did answer with his actions. Light streamed around the three of them and forced the dark warrior back.  
  
"Leave," Sage growled out. He accented his order with more of his power. Lady Kayura had no choice seeing as her soldiers were defeated and Dais was nowhere in sight.  
  
"I will be back and don't think that I won't tell Master Tulpa about your treason because I will."  
  
"And I'll be waiting for you," spat back Mia.  
  
Lady Kayura ran from the watching group towards the now open Gate back to the Nether Realm. It didn't occur to her that Mia had been standing in the sunlight and next to a person who welded the element.  
  
"Are you all right?" asked Sage.  
  
Mia nodded. "That was why I said I would fight her. You didn't know how she fights. Now you know her abilities."  
  
"You did good, little sister," said a disembodied voice. Dais stepped out of his illusion to face the five angry Singers and Dancers and one tired ShadowDancer. "You held out very well against her. I can go back and tell Cale how well you did."  
  
"You could have done more," said Kento angrily.  
  
Dais shook his head as Mia came to his defense. "No, he couldn't. If Lady Kayura saw that Dais was helping us more then he was, she would bring the tale back to Tulpa as fast as she is bringing my defection. It is better if he didn't show up in this fight."  
  
Cye looked at the woman and saw how tired she really was. She held most of her weight on the leg that hadn't been kicked by Lady Kayura. "We should get back to the house. We all need medical attention and Mia looks like she's ready to fall over."  
  
Before Dais left, he walked over to Mia. "Good luck, little sister. Be careful; Lady Kayura will tell Tulpa and he will know."  
  
"I will," said Mia. "Thank Cale for me."  
  
Dais nodded as he retreated to the open Gate. "I'll see you all again," he promised as he left.  
  
"He will, you know," said Mia. "They all will see us again." 


	11. Chapter 11

ShadowDancer and SunSinger  
Chapter 11  
Rocky Oberlin  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Ronin Warriors or the idea of ShadowDancer   
and SunSinger. They belong to Bandi and Mercedes Lackey respectively.  
  
The four head warriors of the Nether Realm winced in unison as their "beloved" leader roared his fury. They inwardly winced as Tulpa turned his attention on them. Cale wondered how he was going to get himself out of this mess heading his way.  
  
"How did you not know that Mia was a traitor?" Tulpa thundered. "How could you not know that she can control the shadows better then you, Cale?"  
  
"She kept them hidden from me, Master," Cale lied through his teeth. "I thought that she was a gifted Shadow Master."  
  
"Obviously you were wrong," snarled the Nether Realm tyrant. "Otherwise you would have known that she is a ShadowDancer and a threat to me."  
  
On the sidelines Kayura watched with anticipation. Now was the coming of the dream she had for years. Now she would be placed above the four fools who catered to the useless Mia. Now she would be in control of all the armies and even them.  
  
"I give you one last chance. Capture the ShadowDancer and the SunSinger. I want them kept separate so they won't kill each other." The tone in Tulpa's voice turned to a sneer. "I want that pleasure to myself."  
  
Lady Kayura was a well-trained soldier. She didn't fly into a rage until after she was out of her Master's presence. When she as safely in the corridor, she let her temper fly as she was unable to in her Master's presence. "I was supposed to get that brat! I was supposed to take over the command of the armies! Not get set to the side while the four clowns are allowed to get that little traitor! Why?! Why was I passed up?"  
  
"Calm yourself, little girl," snorted a voice. Cale stepped from the shadows and watched Lady Kayura turn a murderous gaze to him. "I'm sure you'll get another chance just like the rest of us."  
  
"That's all well and good, coming from the traitor's own brother. We'll see who will come out on top and I bet that you will be taking orders from me real soon," Lady Kayura all but spat at the Shadow Master before turning on her heel and leaving.  
  
Cale just watched her go then turned to his hidden friends. "Well, what do you think?"  
  
Seckmet stepped out of the illusion spun around him as he pondered the question. "I don't think that there is any saving her. If this were an earlier time, then there would be a chance, but not now. The Kayura we knew when she was growing up with Mia is gone. This one is possessed with power. I don't think there is any way of turning her back."  
  
Anubis nodded in agreement. "I think that Seckmet is right. Her power is too twisted to even think about bringing her back. She is everything that the blue-haired HeavenSinger isn't. She loves the death of stars, while he loves their light and song."  
  
"I wish there had been some way we could have saved her too," sighed Cale.  
  
"There wasn't," negated Dais. "We had a hard time trying to keep Tulpa away from Mia let alone trying to keep him from a Singer and Dancer and protect ourselves from him. We all would have lost and Mia wouldn't be alive."  
  
"It's still a bitter brew to swallow though," said Seckmet. "I wish there had been a way of keeping her from becoming the monster that she is."  
  
"Unfortunately there wasn't," sighed Anubis. He looked down the corridor that Lady Kayura had stomped down. "We should leave before someone else comes our way. We still have plans to make."  
  
The four departed for their rooms to plan their own treason away from the prying ears of soldiers loyal to Tulpa. Little did they know that they had barely escaped detection of their own treason when Daala came down another hallway to the corridor they had been talking. The simpler soldier hadn't an inkling of the discussion that floated in the air before his arrival.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Sage watched from his spot next to Ryo as Cye took care of Mia. His attention was diverted from his Mia-watching when Ryo started to stitch a particularly deep cut from one of the spirit soldiers. He gave a small glare at the dark haired boy, but Ryo just ignored the attempted death threat to his person and kept on sewing. Kento stayed in his little corner while Rowen took care of some of his injuries. Everyone got to hear Cye praise and scold Mia while he worked.  
  
"I can't believe that you were able to hold up against that witch. But you should have asked for help sooner. You could have been killed and then where would Sa- we be?"  
  
"Be careful of what you say, Cye," warned Rowen. "We wouldn't want to force someone's hand, would we?" The tone was joking, but the topic was serious. Everyone in the room knew what Cye was talking about, but no one had admitted anything, leaving the whole scene in an uncomfortable silence.  
  
Sage tried to break that silence. "You said that they would be seeing us again? How do you know?"  
  
Mia kept her eyes on Cye as he stitched up the gash on her leg. "Kayura will be going to Tulpa with my defection. He will be furious and will order someone to bring me back so he won't fall prey to the prophecy."  
  
"How do you know that they won't bring you back to Tulpa?" asked Kento.  
  
"Because they were planning to overthrow him before I could even get the shadows to answer my bidding. They will plan and act and seem to betray us at some point, but they will be doing it just to remove a monster and a tyrant. I would be careful of any others though. They are the ones to watch for."  
  
"I'm glad you trust us so much, little sister."  
  
Mia looked in a shadowy corner and squealed happily. She would have raced to the speaker, but Cye pushed her gently down to finish his stitching. The speaker decided to go to Mia instead, leaving the protection of the shadows to show her older brother.  
  
"How are you doing little shadow?"  
  
"Better now. Are you still safe? I know that Kayura went straight to Tulpa about my treason and about the SunSinger."  
  
Cale smiled sourly. "Oh, yes. She did. The little tattletale told all about you fighting with the five Singer and Dancers that are keeping him from dominating this area. We were on the receiving end of his temper."  
  
"Bad?"  
  
"Very. He wants you and the SunSinger brought to him, but not together. He wants to kill you himself and not let the curse do it for him. It might be a good idea to lay low for a while little sister. If Tulpa even gets a hint of your power, he will come in force to find you."  
  
"So what do we do in the meantime if he sends another attack on the village? Sit here and watch as people's lives are destroyed?" Kento spat.  
  
"I said for my sister to lay low. I didn't say anything about you four. The SunSinger might want to stay in the same position as Mia though. Again, Tulpa wants your head for the threat that you possess against him."  
  
"I will not let my friends fight while I hide. I will fight with them," refused Sage.  
  
"Then do it without using your power," said Cale. "Using your power will only give Tulpa a lead to follow right to you and your friends. He won't be as interested in the others as he will be in you or Mia. If anything, think of the village and your friends. Not using your power now will save them from trying to protect you from a premature attack against you. Kayura wants revenge and she will disobey Tulpa to get it and you sending signals as to where you are will draw her here faster."  
  
"That is good advice," agreed Ryo. "Why do you think that we've had so many visitors here recently?"  
  
"He's right, Sage," said Mia. "If I hadn't come around, then you wouldn't have had the extra soldiers coming. Tulpa would have gotten here one day, but not now."  
  
"I'm glad you did come. I don't blame you for what Tulpa is doing, but I'm not going to stand by while he ruins other lives while we wait for the right time to stop him for good."  
  
"I would suggest that you wait for me and my brothers before you start making plans to invade the Nether Realm, SunSinger," said Cale. "You will need all the help you can get and we want our home back."  
  
"How did you know that we were going to try for the Nether Realm?" asked Rowen.  
  
Cale looked at the HeavenSinger. He noted how different the blue haired scholar was against Lady Kayura; they were almost like Mia and the SunSinger. "Anyone who wants to stop Tulpa will have to come to the Nether Realm. You don't like him attacking anyone and will do anything to stop him. We want the Nether Realm back the way it used to be before Tulpa's reign ever started. It would do well for us to work together."  
  
"When will you be ready?" asked Sage.  
  
"We will let you know," promised Cale. "Until then, you and Mia keep your heads down and fight like regular mortals. If Tulpa finds you before any of us are ready, then it may be a lost cause."  
  
"Then we will wait," said Ryo.  
  
"But if we get a chance to attack Tulpa, then we are taking it," added Kento. "We've lived with him threatening us and our loved ones too."  
  
Cale bowed to the caution. "If you do, then send us a message. Mia can get one of the shadows to bring it to me if necessary."  
  
"You have our word," said Sage.  
  
Cale looked at the other four and saw the determination in each face. They would do as they say and he and his brothers will have to be ready or catch up. "Then it is agreed. You will hear from us again soon. It might be that we will be moving in with you if we are discovered."  
  
"Great, more 'friendly' help," muttered Kento. Sage gave him a look that quieted him.  
  
"We look forward to the message. I hope that we will be able to stop Tulpa before he knows that you are in league with his enemies."  
  
"We all do, SunSinger. We all do." Cale slipped into the shadows and went back to the small Gate he had standing for him.  
  
"Well, that was interesting," said Cye.  
  
"Yeah, we get possible friends or enemies that know us too well," grumbled Kento.  
  
"My brothers wouldn't betray you to Tulpa," shouted Mia. "We know what he did to the Nether Realm and were told of what it looked like before Tulpa even started his reign of terror. They want Tulpa gone as much as we do. Have some faith in them!"  
  
"It's not that we don't trust them, Mia, but we-" started Cye.  
  
"We don't trust them," stated Kento. "The other might think that they will help us, but I don't think that we can depend on them."  
  
Kento's statement infuriated Mia. Around her the shadows danced and flickered; raw energy made her hair dance around her as she looked at the least trusting Singer. "If you don't trust them, then why will you fight next to them? You don't think you can depend on them to help after all."  
  
"Because my friends will be fighting next to them. I don't want to loose my friends because they put too much trust in your 'brothers'."  
  
Rowen and Cye were going to stop Kento from doing anymore harm, but Mia beat them to the punch. Literally. She flew from her seat and landed a right hook across his jaw that knocked him back from his seat. "If you don't trust them, then you don't trust me," she spat.  
  
The other four Singers and Dancers watched as she swept past them to go down the steps to her room. They could read the anger in the way she carried her body even though she didn't stomp down the stairs or slam the door shut.  
  
"Nice going, Kento," said Ryo. "You just made our chance at defeating Tulpa mad."  
  
"Mad would be and understatement, Ryo," said Rowen. "He seriously POed her."  
  
"You should learn to not look a gift horse in the mouth more often, Kento," said Cye.  
  
Kento looked at his friends and then at Sage. Sage didn't say anything, but gave him a disappointed look. That said more then words how Sage felt about the whole scene. Kento felt the first stirrings of remorse, but he was also a stubborn man. He was going to keep his friends safe even if it angered them as much as it angered the ShadowDancer. He wasn't going to loose them. 


	12. Chapter 12

ShadowDancer and SunSinger  
Chapter 12  
"Rocky" Oberlin  
  
Disclaimer: I have no rights to the Ronin Warriors or ShadowDancer and SunSinger.  
  
Tulpa did try to find his quarry. He threw many soldiers at the Singers and Dancers that would draw them out. But the people were kept safe and he couldn't find where any of the Singers or Dancers disappeared to. This made his all ready short temper even shorter, causing the four head warriors to kneel before him and receive his wrath. They took it quietly and all the while they were belittled and abused, they planned their defeat of the tyrant.  
  
"You weaklings are dismissed," roared the infuriated emperor.  
  
The four men bowed before leaving the throne room. Near by Lady Kayura smirked at their dressing down and counted the days before she would be called to take care of the problem.  
  
"He is getting worse and worse," complained Seckmet as he eased into a chair. "It took him two hours before he let us go."  
  
"Try being within reach," came back Anubis. "Dais and I almost got punched a few times when he was waving his arms around."  
  
"We have to get the plan started," said Cale. "Any more of this and Tulpa will send out Lady Kayura."  
  
"Then one of us better give the Singers and Dancers a warning," said Dais.  
  
"Who's going to go?" asked Anubis. "Tulpa is already watching Cale."  
  
"How about Seckmet?" suggested Dais. "I could hide him in an illusion and no one would know that he even left."  
  
"And I would be doing this because..?"  
  
"Because we have been to the Mortal Realm too many times. You won't be as suspicious as we would," said Cale. "I know you can find Mia just as well as we can. May be the EarthSinger won't be as suspicious of you as he is of us."  
  
"No," drawled Seckmet. "He'll just want to squash me flat for even coming near them. I don't think he will like me."  
  
Anubis sighed. "Just go. Our sister needs to be warned and our allies need to know that we will be started our attacks."  
  
"If he does try I will be saying 'I told you so'," muttered Seckmet. He looked at Dais and gave a jerk of his head as he left the room. Dais followed the snake warrior out to a gate. They had to do this quickly and quietly; Dais cast his illusions around his friend as he traveled to the Mortal Realm.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Cye was next to his lake when Seckmet appeared through the gate. He rose from his sitting position to look at the green haired man. He wasn't like Ryo or Sage. He was gentler because of his extra gift. Right at that moment he wasn't sure if this was one of the warriors that Mia called brother or if he should be on guard.  
  
"Are you one of the men that fight with Mia?"  
  
Cye took a more defensive stance, but didn't fall into one that would provoke an attack. "That depends on who's asking," said the WaterDancer.  
  
"I need to talk to her," said the stranger. "It's about our plans to defeat Tulpa."  
  
Cye was more trusting then his opposite. "Follow me. Mia will be happy to see a friend again."  
  
"And I'm sure that your EarthSinger friend will be happy to see me," muttered Seckmet.  
  
Cye cast a look back at the warrior as he led him to where Mia was. "I'm sure that Anubis told you all about how Kento acts towards him."  
  
"Anubis isn't the only one," said Seckmet. "Dais and Cale told me all about how 'trusting' he is. He has all but accused us of trying to kill you."  
  
Cye nodded. He was trusting, but he wasn't a fool; he knew that Ryo or Sage would feel him 'calling'. He had started his 'call' when the warrior first asked about him and Mia. They would bring Mia to a safe place where the unknown warrior wouldn't be too close to where they lived. He felt guilty, but he knew it was necessary.  
  
He was right. Ryo and Sage had heard his 'call' and brought Mia with them. She stayed hidden with Ryo as Sage approached Cye and the new visitor. When she got a look at the green hair, she knew that her brothers needed to tell her something. She turned to her protective friend and said, "He's safe. That's Seckmet; he is the last brother that tried to protect me in the Nether Realm."  
  
"Are you sure?" asked Ryo.  
  
"Yes."  
  
Ryo sighed and started to his two friends and the new warrior walking towards the clearing near them. "She says that he is one of her brothers."  
  
"Is she sure that he won't betray us?" asked Sage.  
  
"I'm sure, Sage." She smiled at her green haired brother. "It's nice to see you again, Seckmet." She closed the gap between them and hugged the last of her protectors.  
  
"It's nice to see you too, Mia, but we have a problem. Cale and the others wanted me to warn you and the other Singers and Dancers about Tulpa. We will have to start on our plans; he's getting too unstable and will probably send Lady Kayura soon. We have been listening to him berate us about not finding you and the SunSinger ever since you left. He is getting impatient and that may be the best way to defeat the tyrant."  
  
"An impatient leader is a reckless leader," quoted Mia. "And a reckless leader makes mistakes."  
  
Seckmet smiled at his little sister. "I'm glad you remembered. I was afraid that you weren't paying attention to what I was teaching you."  
  
Mia pulled a hurt look on her face before letting it lift into a smile that dazzled the three boys watching the "siblings" converse. "I always listened. I just didn't look like it."  
  
"You had me fooled," snorted Seckmet.  
  
"Shall we take this someplace else?" asked Sage. "I don't think you want to be caught with us by one of Tulpa's soldiers and I think that everyone will want to hear what you have to say."  
  
He led the group through the woods towards the house they were staying in. Rowen looked up when they trooped into the kitchen where he was reading and pointed into the living room where Kento was resting. Ryo nodded and went into the room to wake up the slumbering EarthSinger.  
  
"Oh, great, another one," grumped the heavier boy.  
  
"I'm here to make sure that Mia is safe and out of respect for our similar goals. You don't have to like me to tolerate my presence," snapped Seckmet.  
  
Kento drew back with a scowl, but remember the blow that little Mia gave him over their last visitor. He kept his mouth shut and earned a nod from Cye. He didn't like the fact that these strange warriors were in their home, but everyone else seemed to trust them.  
  
"What is going on that Cale sent you?" asked Mia.  
  
Seckmet sighed. "We are going to start our plans. Tulpa is getting worse and we are getting worried. Like I said, he may send Lady Kayura out and we might not be able to get there in time to help you against her."  
  
"Mia did fairly well against her before," protested Rowen.  
  
"That was due to the fact that Lady Kayura didn't know that Mia knew how to fight. She also didn't know that Mia as a ShadowDancer. Now she knows both and will be more ready. We may lose Mia if they meet again in battle."  
  
Ryo and Rowen looked at each other. Cye traded a look with them, and then looked at Sage. They knew that even with him not admitting to his own feeling, losing Mia would kill him. Ryo could see the bond between the two; it tied them together and would kill the other if one were to die. The thought chilled him.  
  
"What are your plans right at this moment?" asked Rowen.  
  
"We are going to leave on Tulpa's orders, but we aren't going to come back. We will start our offensive after that."  
  
"Let us know when you do," said Ryo. "We will try to help you any way we can."  
  
"We will start within the week. I would say to look for us in the night hours. Darkness is Cale's element and he can hide us better at night then in the day. Tulpa won't look for us until we are gone longer then a day. That is when all of us will be in danger."  
  
"We will keep an eye out for you," promised Sage. "Try to send us a message when you leave. Cale said that Mia could send shadows to him with messages, may be it can work with him, too."  
  
"Cale did it before," said Mia. "It would be best if the shadows are sent again. They won't be as noticed as one of you leaving the Nether Realm."  
  
"I'll pass it along to Cale, Mia," promised Seckmet. "You be careful yourself. We would be lost without you."  
  
Mia laughed. "You just say that because you want me to cook for you again. I'm surprised that you haven't poisoned yourselves with your cooking."  
  
Seckmet gave a cheesy grin. "You've got me. We want you back for your cooking." His face sobered. "Just be careful, Mia. We don't want to lose you."  
  
"I'll be careful, but you have to be too. You aren't out of the Nether Realm yet and there are plenty of spies who could report you to Tulpa," warned Mia.  
  
"We are the epitome of careful," protested Seckmet. "You can't get more careful than us."  
  
He bowed to the other Singers and Dancers before leaving their home. He returned to the gate that lead to his home; the shadows converged around him as he entered the Nether Realm. Cale had them keep watch until he came back. Seckmet didn't know if what he had was good news or not, but he wanted to let his friends know.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Mia sat by the window and watched the day pass. Sage noticed the troubled look on her face and the worried silence that surrounded her. He knew that everyone else thought he didn't know his feelings for the ShadowDancer, but he did. He knew that he wanted to be with her for as long as he was able. He just had to say it out loud.  
  
He must have made a noise because Mia turned her head sharply to look at him. The troubled look didn't leave her face even as she smiled at the one that held her heart.  
  
"Are you okay?" asked Sage quietly.  
  
Mia shrugged. "As well as to be expected. I'm afraid for my brothers. I'm afraid that they will be found out before they can get out of the Nether Realm."  
  
Sage wondered what to do. He didn't know if he should hold her in his arms or let her stand on her own. A silent push from Cye urged him to hug the auburn haired woman close and try to give her comfort. He moved closer to his love and smiled at the worried woman.  
  
"I'm sure they will be fine. They lived for a long time hiding from Tulpa and hiding you. They should be able to protect themselves for a little while longer." He reached out to the ShadowDancer and she took the last step. He folded her in his arms and held her close.  
  
Ryo, Cye, and Rowen looked on the two that held each other. "I hope that they will have a long life together," said Ryo.  
  
"If we can rid the two Realms of Tulpa, then they should," said Cye. "Until then, we will have to support them."  
  
"And try to help Kento accept her and her brothers," added Rowen.  
  
Ryo sighed. "That will be the toughest battle. He is as stubborn as we are."  
  
"We have to be," said Rowen. "We survive because of it." 


	13. Chapter 13

ShadowDancer and SunSinger  
Chapter 13  
Rocky Oberlin  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Ronin Warriors or the idea of ShadowDancer   
and SunSinger.  
  
Sage stayed close to Mia through the week while they waited for her brothers. Mia was nervous over the thought of the warriors being found out, but when the shadow came with the warning that Cale was bringing his friends across on an assignment, she breathed a sigh of relief. Sage was a little more dubious; he wasn't sure if it was a good idea for the Nether Realm warriors to be found with them if an attack did come their way. He took his misgivings to he FireDancer friend and Ryo tried to work out a plan for hiding the four newcomers. Then they had to sell the plan to Mia. Even Ryo winced over the thought of trying to tell their ShadowDancer friend that her brothers had to be hidden and couldn't come out for a time.  
  
"That will be a tricky move to make," commented Cye. "She might want her brothers to help defend against the Tulpa."  
  
"But what about the plan that they help us get into the Nether Realm?" asked Rowen. "If they are caught with us, then they can't help us without being considered traitors themselves."  
  
"That's a nice point, Rowen," said Sage. "Thanks."  
  
The HeavenSinger just shrugged with a puzzled look on his face, but was happy that some of the worry was off his friends' faces. Then came the hard part. "Who's going to tell her that we are going to have to hide her brothers?" asked Kento.  
  
"May be you should do it, Sage," said Ryo. "She seems to be opening up to you more."  
  
"Do you hate me that much?" asked Sage.  
  
Ryo shrugged his shoulders. "Not really. But she has been going to you for comfort more then the rest of us," he pointed out. "May be she would listen to you before she gets angry."  
  
"Or she'll just sock me one like she did with Kento," said Sage. "Next time we come up with a plan, you get to tell her."  
  
Ryo grinned cheekily at his friend and nodded. If he did have to do that, then he wasn't coming within striking distance of Mia.  
  
"Best to tell her now before she gets really worried about Cale and the others," said Cye. "She might not take it the right way when she's really nervy."  
  
Sage left the other Singers and Dancers to find his love. He was going to have to temper this with understanding if he was going to ask Mia to trust them with the lives of her brothers. He didn't want to go back to beginning and work his way forward after finally getting Mia to come close enough to hug him for the first time in weeks. "Understanding," breathed Sage. "I hope that she will listen to our plan before knocking me through a wall."  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Do you think that she'll even listen to Sage?" asked Rowen.  
  
Ryo was watching the fire dance in the fireplace when the HeavenSinger asked his question. He drew his attention from the flames to look at his blue haired friend and give his question some consideration. Cye and Kento looked at the priest of the group to see what he will say. "I think that if Sage puts it in the right phrase, she will listen. We have to remember that these men protected her from a tyrant that would have loved to get his hands on one of the last know ShadowDancers in either Realms. Cale had to lie about her and force his friends to do the same. Now we are asking her to so something they might not like because we seem not to trust them like she does. This will be a test for all of us."  
  
"In other words, we better be nice to our guests," grumbled Kento.  
  
"Yes, Kento, we do," said Cye. "They are the only ones who will be able to get us into the Nether Realm to finally get rid of a tyrant that is looking for all of us."  
  
"Then let's hope that Sage can sweet talk Mia into letting us hide her brothers someplace else," said Rowen. "If he doesn't, then we may have a problem that could get us all caught."  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Mia knew that something was worrying the other five Singers and Dancers in the house, but she didn't care much at the moment. She wanted her brothers safe and right now she didn't know where they were or if they even were safe. She had worked herself into a fever pitch over the thought of them being thrown into Tulpa's dungeons and her not even knowing about it. It took the soothing words of an older shadow to calm her fears and make her realize the foolishness of the idea. They would have told her if there had been any trouble and that she needed to help her brothers.  
  
"Mia?"  
  
The ShadowDancer looked up from the book she was trying to read to see Sage in the doorway, looking uncomfortable.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Can I talk to you about something?"  
  
"Of course. Please sit down and tell me."  
  
Sage entered the room to sit across from the auburn haired woman. "Remember, understanding," muttered the SunSinger before he looked up at his opposite. "Mia, the others and I talked about having your brothers here and the possible danger it would be for all of us."  
  
Mia stiffened at the innuendo about her brothers possibly being a danger to everyone else. "What do you mean?" she asked stiffly.  
  
Sage almost panicked. This wasn't going well. "We were thinking of their safety as well," he said hurriedly. "We were thinking that if the Dynasty had followed them or us one day and saw us all working together, then any plans that were made by any of us would be destroyed because Tulpa would know that we were working with his former warriors." He watched as Mia listened to him thoughtfully. He knew that he had her thinking, but now was the hard part. Trying to convince her that they needed to hide the former Nether Realm warriors someplace else other then the house they were in. "We were thinking that if we could hide your brothers in a place different from you, then any of Tulpa's warriors wouldn't be able to go back and tell him that we were working together."  
  
"Are you going to tell my brothers?" asked Mia.  
  
Sage looked down, abashed. They hadn't gone that far; they were worried more about Mia and her reaction to get to that stage. "We don't know who will be telling them yet," said Sage. "We were trying to figure out how to tell you that we wanted to split you guys apart for a while."  
  
"Then we should go talk to the others, shouldn't we?" asked Mia.  
  
Sage nodded. He didn't think that it would have been this easy to talk to his love about this matter. May be there was some hope of having a peaceful household after the war.  
  
Sage watched Mia leave the room to find the other Singers and Dancers. She walked stiffly like she had after punching Kento. Then again, Sage could be wrong.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
In the darkness of the Nether Realm night, four figures covertly left the huge castle that held the ruler of the beleaguered Realm. No one noted their going and the guards that should have stopped them were at the moment in a trance created by the green haired figure. The white haired figure used their inattention to weave an illusion showing the four figures leaving with a battalion of soldiers to find the traitorous ShadowDancer and the five boys hiding her. The soldiers would see none of the real or imaginary figures again for a while.  
  
"Do you think that that suggestion will stay with them?" asked Anubis as they started for the Gate.  
  
"It should," said Seckmet. "I made sure that it was in their system before letting Dais create his illusion."  
  
"I thought it was funny to see armored soldiers strutting around like a bunch of chickens," snickered Dais. "I nearly gave away our position."  
  
"Chickens?" asked Cale.  
  
"Couldn't you have thought of something more original?" asked Anubis. "That is as old as the hypnotists on the mortal realm."  
  
Seckmet shrugged. "Sometimes the oldest are the best."  
  
The discussion was dropped as they approached the unguarded Gate. Tulpa would know when then left because he was watching the power flux at that very moment to "see" his troops go into glorious battle against the six Singers and Dancers. What he didn't know was that the troops that were suppose to go with his four warriors were right now empty husks in the darkest dungeons of his castle and not likely to be found again in this century.  
  
Anubis and Cale had timed the opening of the Gates to allow a whole battalion through the many times they had gone to the Mortal Realm and knew how long to keep it open. All Tulpa would feel would be the opening and closing of the Gate for the forty-five minutes it would take to get the battalion through, but he wouldn't see any of the nonexistent soldiers. Dais was happy about that because the space between the Realms would cancel out any of his illusions before they reached the other side.  
  
"Are we ready?" asked Cale.  
  
"About as ready as we'll ever be," said Dais.  
  
"Where are we meeting Mia and the others?" asked Seckmet.  
  
"In the clearing around the WaterDancer's lake. Then we'll go from there," said Anubis.  
  
"That's comforting," muttered Seckmet.  
  
"It'll be more comforting when I can see my little sister again," snapped Cale.  
  
The other three took the cue to be quiet as the started their facade. Cale stepped through the Gate, and then offered his had to Dais who was going to be in between the Realms for the long interval. On the Nether Realm side, Anubis did the same with Seckmet; only the red haired man was holding the Gate open while Seckmet joined Dais. Cale started his count and the long wait started.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
"That was the longest hour in my life," complained Seckmet as the stumbled through the dark.  
  
"How do you think Anubis and I feel," shot back Cale. "We were the ones holding you there. I thought at one point I was going to lose Dais."  
  
"Oh, don't say that," said Dais groggily. "I don't want to remember that part for a very long time."  
  
"Well, it's going to give me nightmares," groused Seckmet. "I was the one holding on him and Anubis while you got a better handhold, Cale."  
  
Anubis didn't say anything while he steadied Dais. His shoulder was wrenched and his muscles were sore from the constant fight to keep his friend from flying into the nothingness. Cale privately wondered how the shadows could transverse the expanse to get to either one of the Shadow controllers.  
  
They quieted down as they saw Mia with the five boys that were they allies. Cale could tell that there was something on Mia's mind, but he didn't know what it was and was almost afraid to ask. He had seen that look in her eyes before and the four warriors had been sporting bruises and in Anubis' case a black eye when they first came across it. He wondered what the Singers and Dancers had done to provoke such anger that she was wearing that look. He found out when the SunSinger and the FireDancer came forward to talk with them.  
  
"We had done some thinking while we were waiting for you," said the black haired Dancer.  
  
"It's not that we don't trust you, but it's the fact that if you were caught with us, then all our plans would be trampled in the feet of an invading army," finished the blonde SunSinger.  
  
"What are you talking about?" asked Cale wearily. "And why is my sister ready to knock holes into walls?"  
  
The two spokesmen looked at each other then tried again. "We got to thinking while you were gone and came up with the possibility that if you were caught with us, then all our plans would be futile," said Ryo again.  
  
"So we thought that if we were to hide you someplace that was close by, but not linked to us, then if Tulpa decided to try attacking us, you wouldn't be caught," continued Sage. "We would be able to contact you and visa versa, but we wouldn't be together."  
  
"So why is our little sister ready to call the shadows to smother   
you?" asked Anubis quietly.  
  
Sage winced and Ryo looked uncomfortable. "She doesn't like the idea of you being on your own, but she did see reason. I think that she's worried that something will happen to you while she's away," said Sage.  
  
"That is a reasonable fear," said Cale. "I would feel the same way. But I also know that if we are to pull this off, then we should stay separate." He sighed. "At least let me talk to my sister before forbidding her from seeing me for a very long time."  
  
Ryo stood aside to let the ShadowMaster pass while Sage followed him with his eyes. His concern for Mia was evident on his face and caused Ryo to smile slightly. Dais caught the flicker. "What was that smile about?" he asked.  
  
Ryo pulled an innocent face when Sage turned to look at him, but mouthed "I'll tell you later" to the other three warriors. He knew that they would enjoy the irony of it, but he wasn't so sure about Cale. He would bear watching.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
When Cale approached Mia, she stepped away from the other three Singers and Dancer to have a private word with him. She was still upset over the thought of not having her brother close as he had been in the past, but she also knew the danger posed if they were caught together. It still didn't mean that she had to like it.  
  
"What's with the look, Little Shadow?" asked Cale.  
  
The childhood nickname brought a smile to her face once again. "I don't like the idea of not seeing you as often as I had. It was hard when we were separated by the Gate, but now you're close again and I still can't see you."  
  
"You can see me as often as you like, Mia. You just will have to be more careful then when we were in the Nether Realm."  
  
"What if something happens to you while I'm not there?" asked Mia. "I took care of you as much as the four of you took care of me."  
  
Cale hugged his sister close. "Then the shadows will tell you and you can get help to us faster." He brushed the hair out of her eyes to look into them for a moment. "You'll see. We'll be fine and then we'll go kick Tulpa out of our Realm." He saw the way Mia looked away from him to the SunSinger. "Then when we are done, I'll be talking to that SunSinger about his attentions to you. Are they wanted?" Mia cracked a small smile, which brought a grin to her brother's face. "There's that smile I missed. Now, answer the question."  
  
Mia lowered her head. "Yes, the attentions are wanted."  
  
"Good. I'll talk to him after the war and tell him that if he did anything to hurt you, then I and all the shadows in both Realms would make sure that he wouldn't be seeing the light of day again." Cale's grin broadened when a chuckle escaped his sister. "Now that we are on the same page, I'll let you go back to your new protectors while the SunSinger and the FireDancer shows us where we will be spending time in this Realm."  
  
"Good bye, brother," said Mia.  
  
"Not good bye. Until we see each other again."  
  
The ShadowMaster left his sister to join his friends and the other two Singer and Dancer. The knowing look the FireDancer gave him spoke volumes on what he saw and his idea of the future. Cale figured that he would be talking to the Dancer about the SunSinger's suit of his sister. Good, at least he would be talking with someone who is almost like him and his sister.  
  
"Shall we be going?" asked Ryo. "We want to get you to the house before sunrise."  
  
"If you're concerned about Cale, don't worry," said Anubis. "He isn't as affected as Mia is. He just doesn't like going out in the sunlight as much."  
  
"It was mostly a cover for Mia as well," added Dais. "We had to spin tales on how Cale and Mia would be destroyed by the sun because they were ShadowMasters. The truth is that Mia is the only one who would be destroyed in the sunlight."  
  
"Not any more," said Ryo. "Sage managed to overcome his curse and help Mia as well."  
  
"That's right," said Seckmet. "The SunSinger should be asleep right now. How is the night for you?"  
  
"It's different. I still can't see what holds Rowen's fascination so much," muttered Sage.  
  
"That's because you have something else holding your attention," teased Ryo. "Give it some time."  
  
The four newcomers followed the SunSinger and the FireDancer into the forest to their new haven. May be at some point they would see their little sister again. Seckmet hoped so. He wanted to tease her about her attraction to the SunSinger. 


	14. Chapter 14

ShadowDancer and SunSinger  
Chapter 14  
Rocky Oberlin  
  
Disclaimer: I really don't own the rights to the Ronin Warriors or the idea of ShadowDancer and SunSinger. If we're nice, then may be the rest of the Ronin Warrior episodes will come out and Mercedes Lackey will write a story about ShadowDancer and SunSinger.  
  
Lady Kayura was on pins and needles. She grinned as she thought about the loss of the four warriors of Tulpa. Ever since they left for their mission on finding the ShadowDancer and SunSinger, they hadn't come back or even contacted their Master. She knew that she was going to be promoted soon. She could feel it.  
  
"Lady Kayura, come to the throne room," thundered Tulpa's voice from nowhere.  
  
The twisted HeavenSinger shivered with delight. Now she was going to be promoted, as she should have been when the four idiot warriors lost the ShadowDancer. She hurried down the dark corridors to receive her reward for being faithful to her Master; she was finally going to get command of the armies.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
"What do you think is going on in the Nether Realm?" asked Seckmet absently. He was playing with a local snake that he found in one of his early morning wanderings.  
  
"Tulpa is probably decided which of the flunkies is going to lead the armies now," said Anubis not looking up from the book he was reading.  
  
"That is a scary thought," said Dais. "I don't know if any of them could lead a party of ants to a picnic."  
  
"Lady Kayura could," said Cale.  
  
"That is if Tulpa even gives it to her," said Anubis. "He's been putting off letting her be in charge for a long time."  
  
"Any idea why?" asked Seckmet. "You seem to know the skinny on the rumors and gossip."  
  
"That's because I look younger then you and easier to corrupt," shot back Anubis.  
  
"Point for his side," muttered Dais. Cale only nodded as he listened to the red head.  
  
"From what I heard, he wants to use her as a last resort. He managed to corrupt her so much she finds pleasure in killing." Anubis shuttered at the thought of enjoying the kill of anything. "She would slaughter everything, even her own troops just to get her goal. Tulpa wouldn't be able to keep up with her demands on troops if she managed to kill battalions a day."  
  
"So she'll be passed up again," said Cale.  
  
"I would so like to be a fly on the wall to see her reaction to that," said Seckmet.  
  
"No you wouldn't," said Dais. "You'd become a target for her anger later."  
  
"More rumors?" asked Seckmet.  
  
The white haired illusionist shook his head. "No. I had to get her one day after a disappointment. She was throwing everything she could get her hands on. The rooms she was in were totally trashed."  
  
"What caused that tantrum?" asked Anubis.  
  
"Not being able to use Mia as a punching bag," said Dais. "She had requested being able to "spar" with Mia everyday. She wanted to toughen her up."  
  
Cale looked up. "I remember that. I watched her earlier with a bunch of troops she had been practicing with. They were almost destroyed to a man when she was done. I exercised my right as a commander to deny it. Fortunately Tulpa agreed with me."  
  
"That is an interesting insight to the Nether Realm," said a new voice.  
  
The four warriors turned to see the FireDancer leaning in the doorway of their small house. He waited for them to give him permission to come in before entering. He seated himself at the table Cale was sitting at and nodded to the other three in the room.  
  
"What brings you out here, FireDancer?" asked Anubis, putting down his book. "I thought that you guys were going to wait for a couple of weeks before coming over to talk about getting into the Nether Realm."  
  
"We were, but Mia got a message today from one of the Nether Realm shadows."  
  
"Really," said Dais. "I didn't get anything."  
  
"It said that it had to get back quickly because they wanted to keep an eye on what was going on. Mia said that she would give you the message." The FireDancer paused here to rub his eyes tiredly.  
  
"So what is the message," asked Seckmet.  
  
"The shadow said that Lady Kayura was given command of the armies of Tulpa," said Ryo.  
  
"WHAT?!" came from four mouths of four very startled warriors. "How did that happen?" continued Dais.  
  
Ryo shrugged. "It didn't say. All it said was that she was massing the army and getting ready to cross the Gate to invade the Mortal Realm. We are going to have to leave sooner then expected."  
  
"That is an understatement," said Dais. "She will lay waste to everything from the Gate to where she's stopped. And then there is the army to deal with. The ones she doesn't kill will be as ruthless as she is and would enjoy pillaging and burning."  
  
Ryo pulled a face. "That doesn't sound good. I better get you back to our house. We need to talk about moving up the plans now." He stood up from his seat to leave. "Come on."  
  
The five warriors left the small house for the house the six Singers and Dancers lived in. Every one of the four Nether Realm warriors was edgy over the news about Lady Kayura's new promotion.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Sage found Mia in the front room looking out the large window. She was pensive and frowning about something. He had to find out what was bothering his love.  
  
"What's the matter Mia?" asked Sage.  
  
"It's the idea of Kayura being promoted to the head of Tulpa's army," said the ShadowDancer.  
  
Sage pulled the woman close to him and hugged her close. He laid his cheek on the top of her head, trying to give her some small measure of comfort. "Why? What scares you so bad? The last fight with her wasn't nice looking, but what could she do that scares you so much?"  
  
"My friend was a sweet person once," answered Mia. "She and I played together until Tulpa decided to start training her. He wanted to train me, but Cale said he would do that. Tulpa thought he had complete control over my brothers, so he went along with the idea. When I next saw my friend, she was different; she was more ruthless and willing to do anything to get her way. It had to be her way when we started to fight and then she would beat me up when we first started sparring. Cale put his foot down and said that a ShadowMaster didn't get treated like that. He kept Kayura away from me after that. I only saw her once in a while when everyone was summoned to Tulpa's throne room."  
  
Sage didn't say anything. He knew that Mia had to hide her true powers, but the thought of her being used as an outlet for someone's pent up rage made his blood boil. He was willing to go to the Nether realm just so he could challenge this Lady Kayura to a duel to the death. And she would be the one who didn't make it out of the duel alive. He would see to it.  
  
"Don't worry, I won't let anyone near you again," he whispered in her hair. "No one will hurt you again."  
  
Mia turned in his embrace to put her arms around his waist. She buried her face in his chest while tears ran down from her eyes to be soaked up in his shirt. He ran his hand down her hair and rubbed circles on her back. He didn't know what to do with Mia as she quietly cried in his arms over her less than perfect childhood.  
  
"I'm sorry," sniffed Mia as she raised her head from Sage's chest.  
  
"It's all right. I'm glad that you trust me enough to cry on my shoulder." Sage looked down at the ShadowDancer and smiled softly at her. She returned it with a watery one of her own.  
  
Cye stepped into the room just then and said, "We have company. Your brothers are here to talk about getting back into the Nether Realm, Mia."  
  
Mia nodded and started to wipe away the last of her tears. She started to the other room when she was satisfied that she didn't look too much like a wreck and Sage let her go from his arms, but didn't let go of her hand. Mia looked back at the SunSinger who gave her another smile and started to walk with her to see the rest of their friends. Now was a time to get down to business.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Cye was worried about the feelings of grief coming from the room Mia was in. He watched as Sage went into the room to see if she wanted to join them when her brothers came over to talk and didn't come back for a while. Then Cye started to pick up on the feelings of anger and protectiveness joining with the sadness already coming from the room.  
  
"She must be thinking about her past," he said quietly.  
  
The gathered men gave him a questioning look. "Why do you say that?" asked Rowen.  
  
"Because of the emotions I've been picking up since Sage walked into that room. I think that we should find out what's hurting her so much that Sage is ready to make a Challenge."  
  
Kento growled as five new figures joined them from the back door. "Nice to see you too, EarthSinger," said Cale as he peeked in on his sister. "She must have told the SunSinger about her childhood with Kayura. That is the only thing that would make her break down in tears." He turned and walked away from the doorway to join the other Singers and Dancers at the table. His friends joined them too after making sure that Mia was alright.  
  
"Should we ask them to join us?" asked Rowen.  
  
Cye shook his head. "Let them have some time alone. Sage is finally opening up to let someone in and so is Mia. We need to leave them alone for a bit."  
  
"So what are we going to do about this Lady Kayura?" asked Kento. "If she makes Mia cry and put worried looks on four hardened warriors, then she must be bad."  
  
"You have no idea," said Anubis. "She is willing to do anything to make herself look good in Tulpa's eyes."  
  
Cale looked at the WaterDancer. "You know what is being felt by everyone, right?" he asked.  
  
Cye nodded. "It came with the healing gift."  
  
"Then I wouldn't get too close to the fighting unless you can block."  
  
"Don't worry, just because I'm small doesn't mean that I can't fight on my own. You guys should know that."  
  
Cale bowed his head. "You are right. I apologize for doubting you."  
  
"When can we get started on our planning?" asked Dais.  
  
"When Sage and Mia are ready to join us," said Cye. "And they aren't ready yet."  
  
"Let us know when they are," asked Ryo. "We need to get the started quickly. From what they told me about Lady Kayura, our window of opportunity is getting smaller." Cye nodded.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
It was fifteen minutes before he asked Mia and Sage to join them in the kitchen. Rowen wasn't sure what was going on with Mia and Sage, but he knew that since Mia showed up, Sage started to be a little more open. Personally he was glad that Sage found someone at all considering he didn't go out much.  
  
He moved his attention from his thoughts to the task at hand when Cye, Sage, and Mia joined them at the kitchen table. He noticed his blonde friend and the auburn haired Dancer holding hands when they entered the room. He ducked his head to hide the smirk and noticed the laughter in Ryo's eyes. They were pleased that the SunSinger and the ShadowDancer were getting along in their relationship.  
  
"So, according to everyone who lived in the Nether Realm, this Lady Kayura is bad news," started Kento. "How are we going to get around her to Tulpa if she is so ruthless and is able to take on battalions of soldiers herself?"  
  
"By separating her from her troops," said Dais. "She can fight on her own, but if she has backup, then she won't put herself in danger. She will throw every man under her against an enemy to win. If she's alone, then she will have to use her own abilities."  
  
"But we saw what happened after she fought Mia," said Cye. "Mia barely won and was cut up from head to knee. How is separating her from her troops going to help us?"  
  
"If we separate her from the troops, then we can dispatch them quicker," said Anubis.  
  
"She doesn't bring a second to lead if she is someplace else, she's too jealous of her power," continued Cale. "They will have only the orders that she gave them and their own ruthlessness. That will help the ones who have to fight against them."  
  
"And Lady Kayura?" asked Sage.  
  
"Leave her to me," said Rowen. "She's one of mine. I know the powers that she tries to call and I know more then she does. You have a person to protect and a tyrant to kill."  
  
Sage was going to argue with Rowen over the right to challenge Lady Kayura, but Cye added his two cents. "I agree with Rowen. You have something else to do, Sage. If you go against this Lady Kayura, then you won't be able to help Mia later against Tulpa. Let him fight her and you stay with Mia."  
  
"Lady Kayura is a means to an end. Tulpa is what really needs to be defeated," added Ryo. "Our best bet would be for you to stay away from her and continue with our original mission."  
  
Sage knew that he was out voted and out maneuvered. He could see the Nether Realm warriors were agreeing with Cye, Ryo, and Rowen. Kento looked like he was going to agree. Sage didn't even want to look at Mia at the moment because he would feel guilty over letting his tight-reined emotions get the best of him so he would do something that could get one or more of the people in the room killed. "Alright, I agree."  
  
"Good," said Cale. "When do we leave?" 


	15. Chapter 15

ShadowDancer and SunSinger  
  
Chapter 15  
  
Rocky Oberlin  
  
Disclaimer: It was a dreary day when this was typed, and then it got worse. I was forced to come to the conclusion that the Ronin Warriors belonged to a big corporation, probably on the West Coast, and the idea of ShadowDancer and SunSinger was the brainchild of Mercedes Lackey as a legend for her series. I didn't own anything.  
  
The groups were made and the good byes were said. Sage and Mia were about to go into enemy territory with just their powers and the protection of the Nether Realm shadows, Anubis, and Dais. The others were going to make sure that there was a Mortal Realm for them to come home to. They had the dangerous job of keeping Lady Kayura busy at the Gate while the four infiltrators went to take on the head and root of the problem. The prophecy was going to be fulfilled one way or the other.  
  
"Be careful Rowen," cautioned Sage. "I want to come back so I can kick you into next week for not letting me Challenge Kayura."  
  
"And I want to be around when you try," smirked the HeavenSinger. "I want to see you and Mia finally get together formally."  
  
"Over my dead body," muttered Cale.  
  
"I don't think we have a choice in the matter, my friend," said Anubis. "I think that they are already attached."  
  
"All the more reason for me to have a long talk with the SunSinger when we get done," said Cale. "I want to make sure that he understands a few things."  
  
"You'll have to talk to his family first," said Ryo. The FireDancer walked over to the conversing pair and added his little bit of information. "You and the Date Clan will have to talk things over before Sage and Mia can even consider courting. Isn't that right Sage?" Ryo called.  
  
Sage muttered a few things under his breath, but nodded. "Yeah, that's right." 'And good luck doing it, Grandfather will want your whole history before he'll even consent to talking this over.' Sage left that thought private for now. If anything, may be he could convince Mia to elope with him and save them all the aggravation of having the families talk.  
  
Mia just smiled at the talk and joined her love. They were ready to go and were waiting for Anubis and Dais to join them. She wished that her brother could come, but he was needed to help fight the Dynasty soldiers coming with Lady Kayura. Dais and she would be hiding them from the rest of the goons that Tulpa used to gain his way.  
  
"If everyone is ready," called Rowen. "We have to meet some soldiers at a Gate and Sage and Mia have to get to a different engagement."  
  
There were nervous chuckles as the two groups spilt apart and started for their separate destinations. Sage and Mia were going to a little know Gate that Anubis found and the rest were going to the Main Gate that Lady Kayura was going to use for her invasion. No one wished the others good luck because everyone knew they all would need it.  
  
***********  
  
"Are you sure that this Gate isn't guarded?" asked Sage.  
  
"Positive," whispered Dais. "Tulpa doesn't want to wade through a forest when the Main Gate opens directly to open road. Follow the road and lay waste to the city at the end."  
  
"Direct and chilling," said Anubis. "And very effective. Too bad there wasn't some way of doing that to Tulpa."  
  
"We will be effective, but we can't be direct," said Mia. "We would be killed in an instant."  
  
"That's true," said Dais. "Sneaking like a ninja is the only way of getting rid of this threat."  
  
Sage frowned, but didn't argue against it. Sneaking wasn't the way of his family, but if it weren't for Ryo teaching him the way of the Sananda Clan, then he would be protesting it at the top of his voice. Sometimes sending a ninja was better then sending a samurai. Mia smiled at Sage and he lost the frown for a gentler smile. He would always smile for his darkling Dancer.  
  
"Don't worry," she said. "We'll be fine. Anubis and Dais will help us a much as possible to get into the castle. If we had to do it alone, then we would be going through the maze. It's easier for them to lead us."  
  
"That wasn't what I was thinking of, but it's good to know that we have native guides helping us."  
  
Mia punched Sage on the shoulder and mock frowned at him. "And what am I? Chopped liver?"  
  
Sage smiled a little more at his love and rubbed the offended shoulder. "No, but do you know how to get us around the maze?"  
  
Mia's shoulders slumped a little. "No. I know how to get us through the maze quickly, but no around it. That was saved for the head warriors and the soldiers. I was considered less than a warrior but more than a soldier. No one knew how to rate me."  
  
"That's because Cale was threatening anyone who wanted to get close to you," said Anubis. "It was Tulpa's decision to not let you know about how to get around the maze. I think he wanted to use you as a strategist or a deadly single operative. You knowing how to get through the maze show that you can think on your feet."  
  
"Figures that he would want to use me somehow," grumbled Mia. "He won't be happy until he gets everyone under his thumb."  
  
"No getting around it, little Shadow," said Dais. "He sees potential only in terms of how useful is the person. You had the same potential Cale did; only you had a head for strategy. He would have loved to use you."  
  
"I think that he was going to try," said Anubis. "He was looking into taking Mia away from Cale for a couple of months before she left."  
  
"And how do you know this?" asked Sage.  
  
"Like I told my friends, I look younger and easier to corrupt. I get told a lot of stories and rumors."  
  
"And he likes to keep his ears open," said Dais. "He will fade into the background to listen to a private conversation taking place in front of him just to find out what was going on."  
  
"And how many times did it save Mia and us?" asked Anubis.  
  
"Too many times," said Mia. "We only survived because we watched each other's backs."  
  
They ended the conversation when the reached the remote Gate. Anubis activated it and rushed through. The other three hurried after him and Dais closed it almost as soon as he cleared the doors. They were now in enemy territory with only the shadows as allies.  
  
***********  
  
"Think they'll be okay?" asked Cye.  
  
"They should be fine," said Seckmet. "Dais can spin illusions that look like reality and Mia should be able to hide the rest in shadows."  
  
"And none of them are defenseless," added Ryo. "They should be fine."  
  
"I just wonder if it was a good idea to let them go with only four people. It seems like they are asking to get caught."  
  
"Taking more would be asking to get caught," said Rowen. "I think that Mia and Dais can only hide so much."  
  
"That's true," added Cale. "Mia may have more power over the shadows so she could do more then I can, but it is best if they don't push it. Tulpa will know that something is up with the opening of that Gate, but he will be concentrating on us more."  
  
"And we should be getting ready for Kayura," said Kento. "I think that she's coming right now."  
  
He was right. The Gate was opening and the first soldiers were starting to cross. Rowen looked for Lady Kayura, but didn't see her right away. "I wonder if she is waiting in the back?"  
  
"She may be," said Cale. "She gave the soldiers their orders and now all she has to do is reap the rewards."  
  
"It'll be hard for me to fight her if she stays in the Nether Realm."  
  
"She will come. She wants to fight as much as the soldiers," said Seckmet. "And I think that she'll want to fight you because you are the same as her. That is a challenge she won't ignore."  
  
"That's comforting," muttered Rowen as he knocked an arrow. It was time to defend his home.  
  
***********  
  
Kento watched as the first soldiers came through the Gate. As they set foot on his element, he felt the revulsion of the Earth against the black magic making the soldiers move. Too much pain was used and not enough concern. It was unbalanced and revolting, now he knew how Cye felt when he felt someone else's feelings.  
  
"And I'm going to fix this problem too," he muttered. He was going to defend his home and friends. He was going to make sure this Earth never became like the Nether Realm that the four warriors and Mia talked about.  
  
When the first dozen soldiers came after him, he just grinned his goofy grin and raised his chosen weapon. That was the only warning the soldiers or Lady Kayura got from him before he called the power of the Earth to his command. The others watched the EarthSinger swing his staff around and take out the first of many soldiers. The earth itself took out the rest that surrounded him.  
  
"That will teach you to threaten my home," Kento growled lowly.  
  
Only Cye was close enough to hear him, but the sediment was the same. They were going to defend their home until Sage and Mia stopped Tulpa for good.  
  
***********  
  
Anubis snuck his partners through the small gate in the wall. Dais was the one who disguised the door, but Tulpa's top warriors knew where it was hidden. Mia studied where the door was positioned and narrowed her eyes. Anubis knew that she was memorizing where it was if she had to come back here again. He hoped that she wouldn't have to; her budding relationship with Sage looked promising.  
  
"This has been here for the whole time?" she asked.  
  
"Yes," said Dais. "Tulpa had me hide it before Cale and you were brought here."  
  
"So why didn't you or Cale tell me about it?"  
  
"Because if Tulpa found out that you knew about it, then we would be questioned about what other things we have told you," said Anubis. Mia understood what he meant about questioning and didn't say anything else, but Sage didn't understand.  
  
"What would be so bad about being questioned?"  
  
"When Tulpa questions you, it will be in a dungeon and your answers will be pulled out by a torturer. He will also pull any other secrets you have before you die," said Anubis.  
  
"Have you seen this before?" asked Sage.  
  
"Several times," was the sober response. "Tulpa likes to make object lessons when he dominates you. That was how he got a few of his other warriors. The four of us just seemed to go along, but we wished that we could have saved the poor people who were being used."  
  
Dais started to lead the small group through the passages built in the walls that lead to the castle proper. Soon they would be in the familiar corridors that they walked for centuries, serving the tyrant leader. With Lady Kayura taking most of the soldiers to the Mortal Realm to take on the other Singers and Dancers, the halls weren't as guarded as they should be. The guards that were suppose to be watching these halls were now guarding the throne room where Tulpa ruled.  
  
"Where do we go from here?" asked Sage.  
  
"To the left," said Dais. "The right will lead us to the rooms that the other warriors stay in."  
  
"I wonder what happened to our rooms," mused Mia as she followed Sage. She absently motioned the shadows to hide her and Sage from the possible prying eyes of enemies that could be hidden along the halls. Other shadows flowed before them to look for other threats to their Dancer and her partner.  
  
"I don't know," said Dais. "Tulpa probably gave them to Kayura as a reward for becoming the head warrior."  
  
"That is a scary thought," said Anubis. "I don't know if I like the idea of Kayura going through our possessions."  
  
"Tell me about it," returned Dais. "She'll probably burn everything she doesn't like."  
  
"There goes my stuff," said Mia. "She never liked my taste."  
  
"That's because it wasn't tight and looked like a proper lady's attire," said Anubis. "She liked being a dominator."  
  
A shadow drifted up to Mia and told her of trouble coming towards them. "I guess we lost our easy passage," she sighed. "There's a patrol of soldiers coming this way."  
  
"Press against the wall," instructed Dais. "Mia when I cast the illusion, call the shadows to help hide us. If they are anything like the other patrols, then they will stay away from the walls."  
  
Sage pressed against the wall and grabbed Mia's hand. His vision wavered a little while Dais cast the illusion and then darkened when the shadows flowed over it. Now they would see just how good the leftover soldiers were. 


	16. Chapter 16

ShadowDancer and SunSinger  
  
Chapter 15  
  
Rocky Oberlin  
  
Disclaimer: As much as I want to say that I own the Ronin Warriors and the idea of the ShadowDancer and SunSinger, I can't. Large corporations and Mercedes Lackey own them, respectively.  
  
Rowen was ready and waiting for Lady Kayura to appear. She did with a big bang, too. One moment he was fighting off a group of soldiers and the next he was flying back from a blast aimed at him. Cale shouted something and Rowen was caught by Kento.  
  
"You sure you want to fight this psycho?" he asked. "She doesn't seem to like you."  
  
"I noticed," hissed Rowen as he climbed back to his feet. "Believe me, I noticed."  
  
"Why don't you use the regular ways of Challenging a person, Kayura?" yelled Seckmet.  
  
"Because I don't have time to waste on posturing when I could be killing him and taking this Realm," sneered Lady Kayura.  
  
"Since you asked so nicely," said Rowen. "I'll give you my answer the same way." He called his power to him and focused in on the tip of his arrow (like his Arrow Shock Wave, but without the words). He let the arrow fly to his opponent and watched in satisfaction as she flew back from the blast and concussion. For her little trick, that served her right.  
  
"Nice one," muttered Cale. "I hope you have power to back up that Challenge."  
  
"Just watch," said Ryo calmly. "He has enough." The FireDancer nodded and smiled at his HeavenSinger friend. "Kick her back to Tulpa so she can see the fall of all her twisted dreams."  
  
"You got that right," muttered Rowen. "Then we can see what we can do about her." He knew that his hope was misplaced on helping the twisted HeavenSinger, but he had to have hope. It was the only way he could walk to this fight.  
  
"You hurt me," said a calm voice. "No one ever hurt me before." She took a stance and sneered again at Rowen. "You will pay for that blow. With your life."  
  
"We'll see," answered back Rowen. He also took a fighting stance opposite of his rival. Their fight was about to begin.  
  
***********  
  
The soldiers passing the four didn't even look at them as they marched past. Sage let out a silent sigh of relief as the turned a corner down the corridor and left their line of sight. "That was close," he said.  
  
"They are getting closer," said Anubis. "I wonder if Tulpa is making more soldiers to make up for the ones Kayura took."  
  
"The only way we'll find that out is if we can get to the throne room," said Dais. "Then we can stop him and his mages."  
  
"What was that about mages?" asked Sage. "This is new." He looked at Mia. "Did you know about the mages?"  
  
She shook her head. "They were rumors when I was around, but I stayed away from the areas they were suppose to stay in. Even Cale didn't go in that area."  
  
"For good reason," said Dais. "They were suppose to be able to tell if a person was a Singer or Dancer even before the person knows."  
  
"If that is true, then that might be the way Tulpa knew that Kayura was a HeavenSinger," said Anubis.  
  
"Now that we know that Tulpa has mages, we can defend against them," said Sage. "But you should have said something before we came here."  
  
Anubis and Dais looked down. "That's the problem," said Dais. "We didn't know. They were rumors, very popular rumors, but no one was really sure if Tulpa had any mages or if he was powerful enough to make his own troops."  
  
"How do you know now?" asked Mia.  
  
"I snuck ahead and looked around," said Dais. "I heard some of the soldiers saying that Tulpa was closeted with his mages for the past two days after assigning Kayura to the conquering of the Mortal Realm."  
  
Mia looked at the shadows surrounding them. "Do you know anything about the mages?" she asked.  
  
~Yes.~  
  
"Why didn't you say anything?"  
  
~We didn't think that it needed to be known until the right time. Now that you are here to stop the tyrant and his lackey, we can tell you.~  
  
"So, what do you know?"  
  
~There are ten mages. The head answers only to Tulpa. Kill him and the others are powerless.~  
  
"Why?" asked Sage. "Why would the other nine be powerless if the leader is killed?"  
  
~He is the focus of their power. They can't do the magic, only him.~  
  
"So who can take care of him?" asked Anubis.  
  
~He doesn't like fire. It is a weakness to him.~  
  
"Too bad he didn't join Kayura at the gate of the Mortal Realm," said Sage. "Ryo could kill him when he crossed."  
  
Dais smiled. "Mia, ask how Tulpa calls this head mage."  
  
Mia looked at the shadows questioning. ~He is called the same way everyone else is.~  
  
Dais' smile broadened. "Mia, can you hide the others while I go on an errand of my own?"  
  
"Just give me a minute to send a shadow to warn the others before you send this head mage to our friends," she said. A shadow bowed to the ShadowDancer and left. If a shadow had a face, it would have had a wide grin plastered across its face as it looked for a crack to travel to the Mortal Realm through. The fight against the tyrant was looking better and better.  
  
***********  
  
Cale was watching Rowen while he was dispatching the soldiers under Kayura's command. He didn't want the HeavenSinger to be stabbed in the back by order of Kayura as he was winning this fight.  
  
"Cale," yelled Seckmet. "There's a new shadow looking for you."  
  
The Shadow Master looked around and found the new shadow floating near him. He killed the last soldier nearest to him and nodded to the shadow while he advanced onto the next group coming near him.  
  
~We have a message from the ShadowDancer.~  
  
"Are they done already?" asked Cale. "I thought that when Tulpa died, these tin cans would fall apart."  
  
The shadow shook in a negative sediment. ~It isn't that. She was told about the ten mages in Tulpa's employ.~  
  
"Oh, boy. She is going to kill us when she gets back."  
  
~The ShadowDancer says that the head mage will be coming through the gate as soon as Dais sends him the false call.~  
  
"It's nice that she sent us a warning," muttered Cale. To the shadow he said, "I'll tell the others and have the FireDancer ready. My thanks."  
  
The shadow bowed and returned to the crack it had appeared through. Its mission was done and now it could go back to protecting the ShadowDancer.  
  
Cale looked around the battlefield in search of Ryo. He found him next to Seckmet and Cye. It looked like he was burning any of the soldiers coming near the other two, but Cale wasn't sure what the WaterDancer and his snaky friend were doing. Looks like he was going to find out as soon as he finished with this particular group.  
  
"EarthSinger," he yelled. "I need you to watch your friend's back!"  
  
Kento looked up from the fight he was in the middle of and nodded. He didn't care at the moment that Rowen was being protected by a Nether Realm occupant at that moment, but if he was asked to defend a friend, then he would. The EarthSinger finished off his particular group and waded through the soldiers to take Cale's place.  
  
When he was in position, Cale left his self appointed position to let the FireDancer know that his power was going to be needed soon. He found that Seckmet was helping Cye with a particularly hard injury to take care of. Ryo stood near them to keep the soldiers from overwhelming them and undoing the good that the Nether Realm warrior was trying to do.  
  
Seckmet looked over at his friend while he tied the bandage around the WaterDancer's lower thigh. "That shadow looked like it had an important message for you," he said.  
  
Cale nodded. "It did; Mia's sending the head mage to us through the gate. Anubis and Dais think that the FireDancer can get rid of him for us."  
  
"What about Sage?" asked Cye. "Couldn't he do anything about this head mage?"  
  
Seckmet shook his head. "If they are going to get to Tulpa, then they have to be unnoticed. For the SunSinger to use his powers against the mage, he would be letting Tulpa and everyone else know that a SunSinger was in the area. It would be best if Tulpa's lackey was killed trying to 'help' Kayura."  
  
Ryo nodded. "Just let me know what he looks like and he'll be greeted with all the fire I can throw at him."  
  
Seckmet smirked. "You can't miss him. He's the only one with the greenish tinge to his skin. He could almost be the definition of ugly."  
  
Ryo smiled even as he let a fireball loose to a group bearing down on the small group. "I'll keep my eye out for him. You may have to get my attention if I'm really busy."  
  
"Don't worry," said Cale. "You won't miss him. He likes to make a big entrance."  
  
Ryo gave a bark of a laugh and continued to keep enemy soldiers away from the two Nether Realm warriors and his WaterDancer friend. When Seckmet was done, Ryo moved off to spread out the resistance from one central area. He gave a courtesy look at his other two friends to see how they were doing. Kento was still keeping Tulpa's soldiers off Rowen's back and the HeavenSinger was keeping up his attack on Lady Kayura. Ryo nodded to himself and moved to a separate area. He didn't want any of the soldiers to creep around the small force blocking them and attacking from behind. All he had to do was wait for his new target.  
  
***********  
  
Mia didn't like how the halls were now crawling with new soldiers. She did her best to protect Anubis and her love, but it was getting harder to avoid the guards. They weren't as shy about marching through the whole hall and not keeping to the center. It was almost funny to see Anubis try to contort to a position that wouldn't get himself caught by a passing guard. She wished that Dais would come back so he could disguise them as soldiers so they could move faster.  
  
"Mia," hissed Sage. "There's another group heading our way."  
  
Mia nodded and pulled more shadows closer to her. Then she and Sage crouched down into small balls while Anubis did the same thing on the other side of the hall. When they passed, the trio straightened up and moved on.  
  
"I wish Dais would get back," muttered Mia. "He could help us get through quicker."  
  
"I feel so loved," said a bodiless voice. Dais slipped from his invisible illusion and greeted his friends. "How may I help you, my lady?" he bowed.  
  
"You can start by not doing that," muttered Sage as he took Mia's hand.  
  
"Can you disguise us as soldiers so we won't as suspicious going to the throne room?" she asked.  
  
Dais shrugged. "I can, but I think that it will only work for so long."  
  
"Just as long as we can get there," said Sage.  
  
"No problem there," said Dais. "It's getting in that's going to worry me."  
  
"That's easy," said Anubis. "We could just get caught."  
  
"Say that again?" asked Sage.  
  
"We turn up and get caught, then we get taken to Tulpa faster."  
  
"But Tulpa wants us to be kept apart," said Mia. "What about that?"  
  
"Dais can cast an illusion that make it look like the first person was killed and then hide them until Tulpa brings in the other."  
  
Mia looked at Sage with a questioning look. "It has promise," she said. "It might work."  
  
Sage didn't like the idea, but it was the best that they could get. "How about the two of you bringing us in. Dais can you keep up the illusion of the two of you looking like soldiers while you keep one of us dead?" he asked.  
  
Dais considered it. "May be," he said. "It might be a stretch."  
  
"You only have to keep it up until Anubis and Mia walks in," said Sage. "Then it can be dropped."  
  
"Why you first?" asked Mia. "I should go first."  
  
"Because," said Sage. "If Tulpa thinks that he has you, he won't be so concerned about me. If I come in first, then he will still be watching for you. He won't be watching my dead body if he's gloating over your capture."  
  
"He does have a point," said Anubis. "It's probably the only way for us to get in to stop him."  
  
Mia bowed her head and nodded slightly. She didn't like the idea of Sage going first, but she was the more highly wanted person compared to Sage. If Tulpa found her first, then Sage may not have her to come help. She looked up as Dais started to weave his illusion around himself and Anubis. She smiled at her brothers and then looked at Sage. She flew into his arms and buried her head into his chest. "Please be careful," she begged.  
  
"Always," he murmured in her hair. Before he left her arms, he gave her a kiss, then allowed Dais to tie his arms behind him loosely. Anubis did the same with Mia and they waited in a shadowed alcove while Dais and Sage marched off to Tulpa's throne room. If the first two could pull this off, then getting rid of Tulpa would be easy. 


	17. Chapter 17

ShadowDancer and SunSinger  
  
Chapter 17  
  
Rocky Oberlin  
  
Disclaimer: To be very honest with everyone out there, I don't own Ronin Warriors or the idea of ShadowDancer and SunSinger. Big corporations own the Ronin Warriors and ShadowDancer and SunSinger are owned by Mercedes Lackey. May be we will be lucky and she will write a story about them.  
  
Sage was shoved hard into the throne room and then sent sprawling to the floor. He shot back a glare at the soldier holding his bonds while the tin soldier made his report to the Dynasty leader. He looked back to the throne as the armored figure laughed at his conquest. "You'll pay for this, Tulpa," spat Sage.  
  
"Who will stop me?" sneered the gloating leader. "You and the ShadowDancer are caught. The only ones who can even avenge you are being destroyed by Lady Kayura at this very moment."  
  
Sage gave a grim smile. "They are probably making sure she never sees the light of day on the Mortal Realm again." He was once again shoved to the floor while a bolt of power flew an inch past his head. Sage was grateful that time to the guard. He hoped that Tulpa didn't see the action just as he was going to punish the SunSinger.  
  
"Check the SunSinger," ordered Tulpa. I want to make sure that he's unconscious. When they bring in the ShadowDancer, I want to watch them destroy each other."  
  
The soldier checked to see if Sage was still alive. The faceplate faded enough for Sage to see Dais mouth "Keep still." Then he looked like the others that lined the throne room. "He's still breathing, master."  
  
Tulpa gave a cruel chuckle. "Good. Take him to the dungeon. When I call, bring him up. I want to watch him fall into his sleep when he comes in contact with the ShadowDancer."  
  
Dais bowed to his former master and slung Sage across his shoulder. Sage acted like a limp doll as they exited the room. He watched the floor pass under him while Dais filled out his command to the letter. Sage was brought to the dungeons and set down. Sage almost expected to be put in a cell, but Dais checked around before talking to the SunSinger.  
  
"We should be safe for now. Tulpa will be anxious for Mia to be brought before him, so I don't want to endanger us while we wait for his 'summons'."  
  
"Will he be as direct with Mia as he was with me?" asked Sage.  
  
Dais shrugged. "Don't know. He wasn't too happy when he found out that she was a ShadowDancer that hide right under his nose. He may want to torture her more before we go back."  
  
Sage didn't like the sound of that. If she was injured in any way, then Tulpa will be facing the full power he could muster. Sage didn't care if anything happened to him after that assault, but no one harmed his darkling dancer for anything.  
  
The warrior of illusion glanced at the SunSinger and thanked his old gods for being on the same side as the blonde. If the look on his face was any indicator, then Tulpa was going to die very soon. Especially if Mia was hurt in any way.  
  
***********  
  
Rowen didn't know if he was enjoying himself, or if this was a nightmare he wanted to wake up from. In all the years he traveled and watched the stars before joining them in their heavenly song, he never saw such perversion of their song. Even when he learned how to use the power they afforded to him, it was never this bad. Now he knew the sadness of the black holes and the sorrow of the stars when one of their numbers died.  
  
"Getting tired, HeavenSinger?" called Kayura. "I can help you. All you have to do is stand still so I can kill you."  
  
"Lady, I don't even think that will help me. The only thing I'm tired of is you using the stars as your own battery. This isn't what they were made for."  
  
"But I disagree," answered the twisted Singer. "They are mine to use. They were made so I could take this Realm for Master Tulpa. They will be your destruction." The woman warrior called her power to her swords and pointed them at Rowen. The blue haired Singer braced himself for the attack and readied himself to counter the raw force she was going to send to him.  
  
It was a surprise to see her turn at the last minute to send her power crashing through her own soldiers just so she could make a shot at Ryo. Rowen knew he couldn't stop the attack and yelling to the FireDancer would have been next to useless, so he did the next best thing. He formed his own power around his friend just as the dead star attack crashed into him. Ryo was knocked to the ground, but Rowen was relieved to see that the priest of the group was still alive.  
  
"That was clever, HeavenSinger," congratulated Lady Kayura. "You were able to protect your friend at the last minute, but can you do that for yourself and one of your friends?"  
  
Rowen smiled; he knew what was going to happen and he had it covered. "There's only one problem, Kayura," he yelled. Ryo was already warned of the possible attack from the previous one, but the others turned an ear to the exchange. "You can't do an attack like that. You have to power up to send a killing blow to them and then at me."  
  
"Then make a choice," called Lady Kayura. "Someone is going to die if you don't chose correctly." She gathered the energy of the black holes to her and swung her swords around negligently. The Lady of the Dynasty looked for a possible target. One caught her eye and she smiled. Now she would kill the HeavenSinger and all it would take is one blow.  
  
Rowen didn't like that smile. He knew she had an idea; a nasty idea that would hurt or even kill the very people who were trying to stop her. He hoped that his friends could stop the power that she was swinging around in her two swords.  
  
Lady Kayura smirked one last time. "Say good bye, HeavenSinger. You won't be seeing your friends ever again." She swung her swords into her hands and pointed them just to his left. "You and your friend will never see them again."  
  
***********  
  
Cye had been waiting for this since she took a shot at Ryo. He didn't know if any of the others could look like they were helpless, but he knew he could. The WaterDancer moved so he was just behind his friend facing the psycho lady and hoped that she would take the bait. He didn't know if Rowen could protect himself from the concussion of the blast she was going to send their way, but Cye knew that he could. It would be just like the deep depths of the oceans and the pressure that could crush a human body. All he had to do was wait for her to fire the blast his way.  
  
***********  
  
Rowen didn't know who it was behind him. It could be Kento or Ryo, but he didn't think so. Kayura knew that Ryo cold protect himself when he knew the blast was coming. Heck, he even saw the FireDancer take a shot almost like the one she had taken at him and walk away with a limp, several cuts and bruises, and a few cracked ribs. That was the mystery of his friend. It was like Ryo was the fire when the attack came; but he didn't want to take chances with the last one Lady Kayura had shot. That struck him and Kento from the list. They would have a protection that seemed unconscious to her attack.  
  
Rowen wasn't as sure about the two Nether Realm warriors fighting with them. Did she consider them his friends? He wasn't sure if he could call them that, but he was beginning to think of them that way. They were doing everything in their power to help the rest of the Singers and Dancers stop the invasion. He didn't think that she would try to use them as a shield against him, though. She seemed like the type to twist the knife once she stabbed them for their apparent betrayal.  
  
The HeavenSinger's blood ran cold. That left Cye. He was the one who looked the most vulnerable and weak. He was "just a Healer". Just as she would twist the knife she sank into the Nether Realm warriors because of their defection from Tulpa, she would use the guilt of losing a friend as a knife to stab Rowen repeatedly. But how had the WaterDancer come from where he was to be behind him?  
  
Unless he was there for a reason.  
  
Rowen prayed that his gentle friend knew what he was doing because he had to use the opportunity that was being given to him. Lady Kayura would regret what she was about to do.  
  
***********  
  
"Is my disguise still intact?" asked Anubis.  
  
Mia glanced at her "brother" and nodded. It looked like it was time for her to face the Dynasty leader, hopefully for the last time.  
  
"Are you ready for this?"  
  
The ShadowDancer shook her head. "But who is?" she asked. "Who is ever ready for their last battle?"  
  
Anubis chuckled. "You're right. Who is ever ready?" He sobered. "We should get going. Dais and Sage have been gone for four hours and the guards are getting closer together. Tulpa is probably increasing his search for you."  
  
"Do you think that he will believe only you caught me?" asked Mia.  
  
"We'll see when we get there," said Anubis. "But to be on the safe side, pretend you're unconscious. That way he won't do anything to you until he brings Sage close to you. He'll want to see both of your destructions as slowly as possible."  
  
Mia sighed and allowed her "brother" to sling her over his shoulder like Dais had when he took her other half to the dungeon. Now they would see if their charade was going to work. She hoped so. She didn't want to die before saying something to Sage.  
  
***********  
  
Ryo wasn't happy about Lady Kayura using him as a target. If Rowen was supposed to be fighting her, then why did she use her attack on him? Unless she has little to no honor about a challenged fights, snarled Ryo. No wonder the Nether Realm warriors were so worried about her.  
  
Ryo didn't stay in his same position for very long. If she was going to do something like that again, then he would have to keep a weathered eye out for her possible target and for that mage Cale said was coming. It would just be wonderful if he came just as Lady Kayura was using another friend of his as target practice.  
  
Ryo hated it when he was right like that.  
  
Just as Lady Kayura released her attack towards Rowen and Cye, the Gate opened once again and Cale's definition of ugly stepped through. The startled look on his face told Ryo that he wasn't expecting the fight to be right on the doorstep of the Gate.  
  
"Well, one good turn deserves another," muttered the FireDancer. He gathered enough fire in a ball to start a decent bonfire and launched it through the soldiers standing between him and the head mage. "May be that will get his attention."  
  
***********  
  
As Master Tulpa's head mage, Badamon thought that it was a step down to help the warriors in their fight. He was suppose to help their leader make more soldiers to fight, not get his hands dirty with battle. Badamon shook his robes of the dust rising from the field as he watched the incompetent (in his vast opinion) Lady Kayura play with her opponent. If she had just killed the other warrior when his back was turned, then there wouldn't be such problems. Did she though? No. Now he was stuck helping the wench fight her own battles.  
  
Badamon was forced out of his self-righteous musings when a large fireball barreled through the ranks of soldiers. Right at him. The greenish mage could move very well in his robes, but they did start to burn on the hems when the ball passed through the Gate and into the Nether Realm.  
  
The perpetrator of that incident had to die.  
  
The mage struggled to his feet while he stamped on the smoldering hems of his robes. He could see the person who threw that ball at him was coming closer and this time it looked like he didn't intend to miss this time.  
  
That was fine with him.  
  
***********  
  
Ryo watched the reaction of the mage and came to a conclusion. He didn't fight the battles; he just made the soldiers to do it. He was essentially lazy. Ryo watched as the greenish mage rose to his feet and look at him with distaste and anger. This mage was also smart. He wasn't going to walk away from this fight and neither was Ryo.  
  
The FireDancer made his way through the fighting soldiers and the masses of empty shells to face down this threat. Cale and Seckmet said that this guy feared fire and now Ryo was going to make good on that threat. He helped put the Mortal Realm in danger with his magic and now it was time to pay.  
  
And Ryo was going to make sure that the price was steep. 


	18. Chapter 18

ShadowDancer and SunSinger  
  
Chapter 18  
  
Rocky Oberlin  
  
Disclaimer: Nope, I still don't own Ronin Warriors or the idea of ShadowDancer and SunSinger. They still belong to the big corporations and Mercedes Lackey respectively.  
  
Lady Kayura wasn't expecting the fireball that passed so close to her before entering the Gate. Because of the surprise, she was off on her aim when she let it go toward the WaterDancer and the HeavenSinger.  
  
Cye was nobody's fool. He watched the power blast leave her swords, but the blast wasn't aimed toward him or Rowen. Both of them were able to counter the concussion that came with the blast, but Cye looked to see where it headed as Rowen started his own attack. He heaved a sigh of relief when he saw that it hit more of her soldiers and knocked Cale back fifty yards. The Shadow Master rose to his feet, swearing about the aim Lady Kayura developed after they left, but still able to fight. No one was permanently hurt from her last attack.  
  
***********  
  
Badamon only sneered when he saw how bad the blast shot by Lady Kayura was aimed. Any mage knew that you had to be ready for anything when you were fighting a duel. She may never learn that lesson if the blue haired HeavenSinger had anything to do with her continued survival. Badamon could see it in his eyes. Now he just had to deal with the uppity FireDancer who dared to attack him. This day would be the last he would ever see.  
  
Badamon formed his own ball of magic and pinpointed where his adversary was in the melee of soldiers surrounding the Gate. He found him approaching with a grim countenance and determination to finish what he started. Badamon narrowed his eyes. This was going to be a good fight.  
  
***********  
  
Tulpa gloated as he was presented with the seemingly unconscious body of the ShadowDancer. Now he had both of the figures of the prophecy against him and they weren't in any condition to do anything against him. The SunSinger was in his dungeon and now his once promising lackey was now his prisoner. If they had come in together, Tulpa would have been worried, but not now. He had them where he wanted them. "Bring the SunSinger and then wake up the ShadowDancer," he ordered. "I want them awake when they destroy each other."  
  
A soldier along the walls bowed and left to get the SunSinger and his guard. The soldier who came in with the ShadowDancer just picked her up and moved her to the other side of the room because no one ever knew how close they had to be before their powers killed the other. Tulpa just chuckled over this victory as he thought of the death-like sleep his first prisoner would fall into. It was too bad that he would lose a promising agent like the ShadowDancer, but he didn't want to take any more chances. He had been played for a fool for too long.  
  
***********  
  
Mia could tell when her love was in the room. She could see the shadows brighten in his presence even through her closed eyes. Now they just had to wait for the right time to destroy the threat to both Realms. Please be okay my love, she prayed before opening her eyes to the hopeful ending of a nightmare.  
  
Sage was feeling the same way. He could see Mia crumbled in a heap on the other side of the room, but he recognized Anubis as her guard by the way he was standing over her. Sage winced as Dais made his protesting over the way he was being treated look good for his former master. He was going to have to have a long talk with the white haired man about when and how much to twist an arm later.  
  
Anubis was waiting for his friend to bring in Sage before he woke up Mia. Then he raised her from the floor by the back of her shirt. He gave her a shake and she feigned waking up from an unconscious state. She spat at Tulpa and Anubis silently asked for forgiveness as he shook her again. Mia shot him a rather believable glare and then turned her attention back to the menace she came all the way back to fight.  
  
The four invaders of the Dynasty watched as Tulpa rose from his seat to pace down to look at his prizes. "Yes, these are the ones who would have destroyed me," he mused. "And how easy it is to thwart the prophecy by capturing the pawns of it before they are ready." He turned to Mia and looked her over. "How is it that you were able to hide in the Mortal Realm, girl? You should have been killed by the first ray of sunlight."  
  
Mia spat at the nightmare her brother served for so long. "I survived. That's all you need to know."  
  
Tulpa snarled and slapped her across her face. Anubis was the only person able to hold her up as she lost her balance from the force of the hit. She kept her face down as she snarled silently and then raised it with only defiance showing for her "captor".  
  
Sage tried to fight the hold Dais was keeping on him as he watched the attack against his love. He knew that Tulpa would kill them sooner if it ever came to light that the ShadowDancer and SunSinger had joined before Tulpa had even suspected. It still didn't help with the slow burn of anger he felt for the red welt swelling on Mia's face.  
  
"Don't fight too much," whispered Dais. "You have to make it look good, but Tulpa is watching you."  
  
Sage gave one last shake and lunge against his captor and then settled down with a sullen look on his face. He tried to look angry about being captured, but not as interested in Mia as he really was. That would give them all a death sentence.  
  
"Now for some real entertainment," boasted Tulpa. "Get my mage and start bringing the ShadowDancer and SunSinger closer together. I want Badamon to see this." The Dynasty leader settled back down in his throne and watched as Anubis and Dais took a step closer with their "prisoners".  
  
***********  
  
Badamon was almost ready to kill his target when the black haired FireDancer stopped and looked at the Gate behind him. The widening of the blue eyes told the greenish tinged mage that something was going on in the Gate behind him.  
  
***********  
  
Lady Kayura knew that something was going on with the Gate. She could see it in the corner of her eye from her position on the ground. Rowen had a better aim then she did even under pressure. He had scored one hit and was getting ready for the next. She didn't pay attention to the grim look on his face as she watched the play of shadows and light in the doorway of the Gate.  
  
Something was going on in the Nether Realm.  
  
***********  
  
Seckmet, Kento, Cale, and Cye watched the ending of their battle here on the Mortal Realm. The soldiers had all stopped when the light and shadows started to twist and whorl in the Gate. As the light got brighter and the shadows darker, the tin cans just collapsed in a heap, never to rise again.  
  
Now they just had to wait for the three major players of the Dynasty to be defeated. Cye guessed that from the way the Gate was acting, the battle with Tulpa as almost over.  
  
***********  
  
Ryo wasn't sure what was going on in the Gate, but he wasn't sure if having the mage standing right in front of it when he was going to throw his fireball was a good idea. He looked over at the rest of his friends and saw Cale nod. The FireDancer hoped that this wouldn't stop Mia and Sage from getting back. They still had to go through meeting with the Date clan before Sage could marry Mia.  
  
The FireDancer gave a small prayer to his gods and to the Fire he was a part of. The next instant saw the head mage of Tulpa go up in a large ball of fire. In the Nether Realm, the other nine mages under Tulpa fell motionless. They were as dead as their master.  
  
***********  
  
Rowen was quite aware of his friend's last attack against the mage. It warmed his face and reflected in his tears as he shot the last arrow at the twisted HeavenSinger. Even now, he could hear the song of lamentation from the stars at the loss of the girl. Rowen would always see the thanks in her gaze when he would think of this moment in the future. She knew the release from the machinations of Tulpa just before she died. Too bad it was when the arrow pierced her heart. May be Ryo could help him later when the pain wasn't so sharp.  
  
***********  
  
The instant Tulpa felt the deaths of Badamon and Lady Kayura, Sage and Mia were brought together. Instead of the expected death of the ShadowDancer and coma-like sleep of the SunSinger, there was a flash of light and a swirl of darkness. Dais and Anubis were pushed back from the pair they were holding and landed without their disguises. Fortunately for them, no one paid attention to the pair as the ShadowDancer and SunSinger showed the might that they kept hidden for so long.  
  
"You caused enough pain, Tulpa," said Mia. She Danced the shadows to her and Danced what they were to do next.  
  
"Now you will pay for every ounce of pain you have given to others," answered Sage. He started to Sing the light to his hand; then he Sang for it to join the shadows Mia had called.  
  
The two looked at the leader of the Dynasty and let the bonds they put on the shadows and light go. The power of the two extremes joined and speared toward the focus of all their pain. It slammed into Tulpa with the force of a freight train and every joint and opening of his armor burst in streams of light and shadows. Then the power of the Singer and Dancer twisted around the armored leader and tightened. When it shrunk to nothing, Tulpa was gone.  
  
Mia looked at Sage. "We did it," she smiled.  
  
Sage pulled his ShadowDancer into his arms. "Yes, we did."  
  
In back of them, Anubis and Dais heaved sighs of relief. The long nightmare was finally over. 


	19. Epilogue

ShadowDancer and SunSinger  
  
Epilogue  
  
Rocky Oberlin  
  
Disclaimer: When I started this story, I didn't own Ronin Warriors or the idea of ShadowDancer and SunSinger. I still don't even now when I am about to finish this story. They still belong to the big corporations (who I am too lazy to look up at the moment) and Mercedes Lackey respectively.  
  
Mia gave Sage a smile before looking into the room that her brother and his grandfather and father were sitting, discussing the merits of the ShadowDancer and SunSinger's marriage. Mia's smile widened when she remembered how her brother checked her over before looking at his friends and Sage. Cale gave a nod of thanks to Anubis and Dais for keeping his little sister safe and then he grabbed Sage by the arm to have a "friendly discussion". They both came back bruised and dirty and, in Sage's case, sporting a black eye. Cale got away with a split lip. She thoroughly yelled at the pair of them before leaving them to take care of themselves. Ryo and Rowen were openly grinning at the pair before they left to help the giggling Cye in the kitchen. Kento just snorted at them and went to read by the fire for a while. Cale's friends just grinned at the pair before joining Kento in the living room to attend to their own pursuits; for some reason Dais found that baiting the EarthSinger was fun.  
  
Sage looked up at the sound of the sliding chairs. Then he turned back to the window in disgust as he saw his father and grandfather walk out the door with Cale. It figured that Grandfather wanted to see how well Cale could fight. The SunSinger knew that Cale claimed to have taught Mia how to fight, but he wanted to see how well the Shadow Master could fight before the elder Date would even believe Cale's claim.  
  
"Always looking for ways to improve the Clan, aren't you Grandfather?" Sage muttered.  
  
Mia would have said something, but Sage's mother just chuckled. She had taken one look at the pair and said she had made her decision. She stayed with them to make sure that nothing untoward happened while her father and husband talked with Mia's brother. "Yes, he wants to make sure that our family stays strong," she said. "You should know this by the way he negotiated with your sisters' potential husbands."  
  
Now it was Mia's turn to chuckle. "Now I feel like a prize horse," she said. "I'm only here to improve an already excellent bloodline."  
  
Sage's mother laughed. "You should have saw my father when he was looking for potential husbands for me. When I met my husband, I was ready to leave the Clan just to be with him."  
  
Sage and Mia's eyes widened. She was willing to face banishment from her Clan just to be with her husband? Sage wondered if he should try the same thing if his grandfather and father decided not to let them marry after all.  
  
"Will you quit worrying?" asked Cye from the chair in front of the fire. He stayed with the concerned couple and Sage's mother while Cale and the head of the Date Clan talked. His other friends took one look at the elder Date member and left, even the Nether Realm warriors. Cye remembered that Ryo had said something about too many warriors making the place too threatening for negotiations. Cye thought the FireDancer wanted to laugh at the SunSinger's predicament in private.  
  
***********  
  
It seemed like hours before the two Date patriarchs and Cale came back. The elder Date patriarch nodded to his son-in-law and sat down at the table. The younger went to the living room where his wife and son were waiting with the ShadowDancer over their decision. "We're ready to discuss this with the children," he said.  
  
Sage helped his mother up and let her precede him before taking Mia's hand in his. He may have been breaking tradition and rules, but he didn't care; he was going to marry his darkling dancer even at the cost of loosing his Clan.  
  
Cye stayed in the room; he knew the decision already from the feeling he was getting from Cale. The Shadow Master had finally found a Clan willing to take his sister. That made the both of them happy.  
  
***********  
  
Off by the WaterDancer's pond, Ryo smiled into the fire. He also knew the decision. Now he just had to talk to Rowen about when he wanted to do the ceremony to call the spirit of Kayura back to talk to him. It would help the HeavenSinger get through the guilt he was feeling over the death of a fellow Singer. 


End file.
